Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Crans-Montana Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Crans-Montana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,411 in Crans-Montana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,140 in Crans-Montana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,869 in Crans-Montana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 62% cheaper than Crans-Montana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Crans-Montana is 155% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$31.03 CHF 24.71

-62.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$97.3 CHF 77.5

-57.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$17.48 CHF 13.93

-39.13%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

$4.23 CHF 3.37

-16.78%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$4.74 CHF 3.78

-68.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$4.23 CHF 3.37

-77.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$7.22 CHF 5.75

-59.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$6.27 CHF 5.00

-29.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.51 CHF 1.20

-8.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$3.54 CHF 2.82

-46.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$1.58 CHF 1.25

3.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$5.90 CHF 4.70

-57.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$26.71 CHF 21.27

-68.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$36.44 CHF 29.02

-77.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$47.10 CHF 37.51

-77.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.48

$3.08 CHF 2.45

-15.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$2.03 CHF 1.61

-28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$2.53 CHF 2.02

-24.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$7.46 CHF 5.94

-72.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$2.25 CHF 1.79

-20.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$2.32 CHF 1.85

-5.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$2.65 CHF 2.11

-60.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$1.25 CHF 1.00

-13.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$9.93 CHF 7.91

-58.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$12.88 CHF 10.26

-19.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$2.56 CHF 2.04

-33.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.98

$4.02 CHF 3.20

-35.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$3.88 CHF 3.09

-86.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$96.7 CHF 77.0

-72.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$6.96 CHF 5.54

-53.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

$3.10 CHF 2.47

-19.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$55.1 CHF 43.91

-94.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$2.20 CHF 1.75

-40.45%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$39.6K CHF 31.5K

-23.54%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$37.6K CHF 29.9K

-37.64%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$202 CHF 161

-58.89%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$73.0 CHF 58.1

-69.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$55.0 CHF 43.81

-46.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$110 CHF 87.4

-52.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$18.59 CHF 14.81

-72.73%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$1,254 CHF 999

-83.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$34.7K CHF 27.7K

-84.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$123 CHF 97.8

-69.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$37.22 CHF 29.64

6.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$135 CHF 108

-42.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$148 CHF 118

-41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$1,684 CHF 1,341

-42.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,169

$1,482 CHF 1,181

-68.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$2,797 CHF 2,227

-41.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$2,437 CHF 1,941

-49.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$12.1K CHF 9,626

-67.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$9,630 CHF 7,671

-32.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Crans-Montana: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,684 in Crans-Montana. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $97.0 in Crans-Montana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $643 – 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 Crans-Montana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Crans-Montana costs about 163% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,116 in Crans-Montana. 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.

Groceries cost about 158% more in Crans-Montana, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $97.0 in Crans-Montana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Crans-Montana at $3,411. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Crans-Montana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $3,411 in Crans-Montana. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Crans-Montana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.