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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,354 in Crans-Montana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,140 in Crans-Montana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,926 in Crans-Montana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 61% cheaper than Crans-Montana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Crans-Montana is 143% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$18.81 CHF 15.30

-36.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$105 CHF 85.1

-54.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$18.63 CHF 15.15

-36.93%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.76 CHF 3.06

9.57%

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

$1.40 MX$23.77

$4.98 CHF 4.05

-71.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$4.29 CHF 3.49

-78.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$9.92 CHF 8.07

-67.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$9.85 CHF 8.01

-28.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.48

$2.38 CHF 1.93

-29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$3.41 CHF 2.77

-36.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$3.31 CHF 2.69

-46.53%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.82

$8.02 CHF 6.52

-64.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$25.69 CHF 20.89

-64.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$29.82 CHF 24.25

-69.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$43.95 CHF 35.74

-71.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.65 CHF 2.97

-19.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.69 CHF 1.38

-6.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$2.80 CHF 2.27

-20.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.14

$5.00 CHF 4.07

-52.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.85

$1.65 CHF 1.34

20.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.62

$2.09 CHF 1.70

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$2.19 CHF 1.78

-43.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$1.70 CHF 1.38

-28.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$11.17 CHF 9.09

-58.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$12.52 CHF 10.18

-15.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$3.39 CHF 2.75

-50.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$3.49 CHF 2.84

-20.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$4.29 CHF 3.48

-86.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

$113 CHF 91.6

-73.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$7.74 CHF 6.29

-32.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$3.18 CHF 2.59

14.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$65.4 CHF 53.1

-91.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$2.41 CHF 1.96

-36.10%

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

$22.8K MX$387.3K

$40.5K CHF 32.9K

-43.66%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$40.2K CHF 32.7K

-35.83%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$290 CHF 236

-68.72%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$37.84 CHF 30.77

-33.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$57.6 CHF 46.81

-44.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$91.3 CHF 74.2

-24.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

$46.97 CHF 38.19

-37.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$24.47 CHF 19.90

-80.14%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$2,433 CHF 1,978

-90.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$35.6K CHF 29.0K

-88.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$139 CHF 113

-65.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$80.1 CHF 65.1

-45.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$172 CHF 140

-53.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$194 CHF 157

-52.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,774 CHF 1,442

-38.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,942

$1,553 CHF 1,263

-73.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$3,328 CHF 2,706

-40.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$2,846 CHF 2,314

-54.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$14.6K CHF 11.9K

-72.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

$14.0K CHF 11.4K

-52.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.98

478.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Crans-Montana: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,774 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $105 in Crans-Montana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $613 – 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 157% 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,031 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 121% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $105 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 $1,305, than in Crans-Montana at $3,354. 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 $1,305 versus $3,354 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.