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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,464 in Buochs, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,254 in Buochs, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,044 in Buochs, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Buochs is 159% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$31.29 CHF 24.75

-61.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$139 CHF 110

-69.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$16.17 CHF 12.79

-34.51%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$6.58 CHF 5.20

-44.98%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$5.23 CHF 4.13

-71.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$4.24 CHF 3.35

-77.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$8.52 CHF 6.74

-63.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.51 CHF 5.94

-40.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.14 CHF 1.69

-33.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.80 CHF 3.00

-50.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$4.20 CHF 3.32

-61.19%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$7.71 CHF 6.10

-65.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$29.25 CHF 23.14

-71.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$35.74 CHF 28.27

-76.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$44.53 CHF 35.22

-75.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.61 CHF 2.86

-26.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.25 CHF 1.78

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.86 CHF 2.27

-30.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$6.19 CHF 4.90

-66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.45 CHF 1.94

-26.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.43 CHF 1.92

-10.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.64 CHF 2.08

-59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.22 CHF 0.97

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$11.26 CHF 8.90

-64.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$13.90 CHF 11.00

-26.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.34 CHF 1.85

-26.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.06 CHF 2.42

-18.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.82 CHF 3.02

-86.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$99.0 CHF 78.3

-72.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$7.94 CHF 6.28

-60.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$4.17 CHF 3.30

-42.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$86.6 CHF 68.5

-96.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.16 CHF 1.71

-41.20%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$40.0K CHF 31.7K

-22.88%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$42.4K CHF 33.5K

-44.98%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$243 CHF 192

-66.21%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$53.2 CHF 42.11

-57.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$57.1 CHF 45.15

-48.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$87.0 CHF 68.8

-40.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$22.26 CHF 17.60

-77.67%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$2,587 CHF 2,046

-92.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$33.9K CHF 26.8K

-84.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$136 CHF 107

-73.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$78.3 CHF 62.0

-48.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$131 CHF 104

-39.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$157 CHF 124

-43.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,673 CHF 1,323

-42.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,495 CHF 1,182

-68.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,781 CHF 2,200

-42.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$2,444 CHF 1,933

-50.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$12.0K CHF 9,511

-67.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$9,843 CHF 7,786

-34.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$9,091 CHF 7,191

-92.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.5

356.80%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Buochs: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,673 in Buochs. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1162% higher in Buochs, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $139 in Buochs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $664 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $3,464 in Buochs – roughly 169% apart. Buochs costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,197 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 267% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,587 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 $1,287, than in Buochs at $3,464. 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $3,464 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.