Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Buochs Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Buochs

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,377 in Buochs, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,168 in Buochs, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,959 in Buochs, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 63% cheaper than Buochs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Buochs is 147% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$31.45 CHF 25.84

-63.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$121 CHF 99.7

-61.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$16.38 CHF 13.46

-27.47%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$6.11 CHF 5.02

-34.86%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MX$24.57

$5.67 CHF 4.66

-74.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$4.89 CHF 4.02

-83.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$8.72 CHF 7.16

-63.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.99 CHF 5.75

-2.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.23 CHF 1.83

-24.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$3.51 CHF 2.88

-37.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$4.33 CHF 3.56

-60.51%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$7.55 CHF 6.20

-63.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$27.69 CHF 22.75

-65.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$26.66 CHF 21.91

-66.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$40.62 CHF 33.38

-68.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$3.63 CHF 2.98

-20.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$2.11 CHF 1.73

-28.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.64 CHF 2.17

-18.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$4.68 CHF 3.85

-51.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$2.01 CHF 1.65

-1.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.33 CHF 1.91

-14.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$2.46 CHF 2.02

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.18 CHF 0.97

1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$10.94 CHF 8.99

-58.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.53 CHF 11.11

-23.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$2.21 CHF 1.81

-26.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.85 CHF 2.34

1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$4.46 CHF 3.67

-86.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$99.9 CHF 82.1

-71.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$5.42 CHF 4.45

-0.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$3.52 CHF 2.89

5.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$61.4 CHF 50.5

-90.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$2.24 CHF 1.84

-31.25%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$44.1K CHF 36.2K

-48.84%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$40.7K CHF 33.5K

-36.01%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.4 MX$1,573

$234 CHF 192

-60.89%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.20 MX$434

$31.55 CHF 25.93

-20.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$67.9 CHF 55.8

-53.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$90.9 CHF 74.7

-26.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$46.92 CHF 38.56

-37.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$22.38 CHF 18.39

-78.28%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$224 MX$3,851

$1,840 CHF 1,512

-87.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$33.5K CHF 27.5K

-87.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$143 CHF 118

-67.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$90.3 CHF 74.2

-50.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$148 CHF 121

-45.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$193 CHF 158

-51.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,725 CHF 1,417

-38.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$1,490 CHF 1,224

-73.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$2,858 CHF 2,349

-24.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,537 CHF 2,085

-49.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$16.1K CHF 13.2K

-75.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$12.6K CHF 10.3K

-48.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.72

565.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Buochs: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,725 in Buochs. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $121 in Buochs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $586 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Buochs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $3,377 in Buochs – roughly 167% apart. Buochs costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,065 in Buochs. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 247% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,840 in Buochs. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Buochs at $3,377. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buochs it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $3,377 in Buochs. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Buochs makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.