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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,753 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,651 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,550 in Dubendorf.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 66% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Dubendorf is 174% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$31.16 CHF 25.72

-62.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$125 CHF 103

-62.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$16.58 CHF 13.68

-28.35%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$6.11 CHF 5.04

-34.86%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$5.37 CHF 4.43

-73.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$4.98 CHF 4.11

-83.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$8.49 CHF 7.00

-62.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.70 CHF 5.53

1.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.19 CHF 1.81

-23.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.88 CHF 3.21

-43.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$4.74 CHF 3.91

-63.92%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$7.51 CHF 6.20

-63.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$33.30 CHF 27.49

-71.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$26.10 CHF 21.54

-65.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$43.25 CHF 35.70

-70.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.46 CHF 2.85

-16.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.15 CHF 1.77

-30.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.28 CHF 2.71

-34.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$7.06 CHF 5.83

-67.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.56 CHF 2.11

-22.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.23 CHF 1.84

-10.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.49 CHF 2.06

-50.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.44 CHF 1.19

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$10.86 CHF 8.97

-58.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.46 CHF 11.11

-22.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.19 CHF 1.81

-26.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.82 CHF 2.33

2.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.43 CHF 2.01

-75.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$48.74 CHF 40.23

-40.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.48 CHF 4.52

-1.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$3.47 CHF 2.87

7.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$61.8 CHF 51.0

-90.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.15 CHF 1.78

-28.37%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$43.8K CHF 36.1K

-48.51%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$39.4K CHF 32.6K

-33.94%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$234 CHF 193

-61.01%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$31.19 CHF 25.74

-19.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$66.3 CHF 54.7

-52.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$123 CHF 101

-45.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$80.7 CHF 66.6

-63.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$24.11 CHF 19.90

-79.84%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$1,809 CHF 1,493

-87.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$33.1K CHF 27.4K

-87.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$142 CHF 117

-66.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$90.2 CHF 74.5

-50.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$147 CHF 121

-45.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$174 CHF 144

-46.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,833 CHF 1,513

-42.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,842 CHF 1,520

-78.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,926 CHF 2,415

-26.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,822 CHF 2,329

-54.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$12.1K CHF 10.0K

-67.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$7,404 CHF 6,111

-12.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,873 CHF 3,197

-80.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.48

361.69%

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 Dubendorf: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,833 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 411% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $125 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $631 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Dubendorf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Dubendorf differ by about 197% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $3,753 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 411% lower in Dubendorf. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,833 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,753 in Dubendorf – a 197% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 69% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,753 in Dubendorf, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Dubendorf. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Dubendorf are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 197% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.