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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,866 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,884 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,901 in Dubendorf.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 68% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Dubendorf is 189% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$31.26 CHF 25.32

-61.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$145 CHF 117

-71.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$18.61 CHF 15.07

-42.24%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$6.17 CHF 5.00

-43.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$5.79 CHF 4.69

-74.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$5.18 CHF 4.19

-83.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.44 CHF 6.03

-60.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.17 CHF 5.80

-37.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-36.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.27 CHF 2.65

-43.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.12 CHF 3.34

-61.89%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$7.49 CHF 6.07

-66.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$29.48 CHF 23.88

-71.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$31.92 CHF 25.85

-73.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$50.4 CHF 40.81

-78.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.22 CHF 2.61

-18.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.82 CHF 2.29

-48.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.14 CHF 2.55

-37.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$7.28 CHF 5.89

-71.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.75 CHF 2.23

-32.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.33 CHF 1.89

-6.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.55 CHF 2.06

-59.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.71 CHF 1.38

-37.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$11.22 CHF 9.09

-63.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$13.26 CHF 10.74

-23.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.23 CHF 1.81

-24.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.98 CHF 2.41

-15.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$7.76 CHF 6.29

-93.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$124 CHF 101

-79.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$6.58 CHF 5.33

-50.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$4.24 CHF 3.44

-43.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$79.3 CHF 64.2

-95.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.27 CHF 1.84

-41.85%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$41.2K CHF 33.4K

-27.93%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-40.86%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$260 CHF 211

-68.49%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$35.31 CHF 28.60

-35.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$52.2 CHF 42.27

-42.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$86.9 CHF 70.4

-40.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$55.7 CHF 45.12

-66.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$24.42 CHF 19.78

-79.61%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$2,732 CHF 2,213

-92.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$38.8K CHF 31.4K

-86.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$146 CHF 118

-75.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$66.0 CHF 53.4

-38.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$146 CHF 118

-46.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$198 CHF 160

-55.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,882 CHF 1,524

-49.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,830 CHF 1,482

-74.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,683 CHF 2,173

-38.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$2,936 CHF 2,378

-58.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$15.8K CHF 12.8K

-74.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

-48.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$3,977 CHF 3,221

-83.56%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $1,882 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 508% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $145 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $670 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 208% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $3,866 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 508% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,882 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,866 in Dubendorf – a 208% 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 377% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,866 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 208% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.