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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,522 in Embrach, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,432 in Embrach, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,342 in Embrach, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 64% cheaper than Embrach, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Embrach is 162% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$30.38 CHF 24.12

-60.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$143 CHF 113

-69.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$18.40 CHF 14.61

-42.12%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$6.17 CHF 4.90

-44.08%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$5.16 CHF 4.10

-70.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$4.72 CHF 3.75

-79.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$8.23 CHF 6.53

-63.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$7.49 CHF 5.95

-38.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.26 CHF 1.79

-38.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.42 CHF 2.72

-45.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$4.21 CHF 3.34

-61.76%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$7.33 CHF 5.82

-64.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$29.19 CHF 23.17

-71.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$33.88 CHF 26.90

-75.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$48.59 CHF 38.58

-78.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.63 CHF 2.88

-27.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.23 CHF 1.77

-33.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.02 CHF 2.40

-36.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$6.28 CHF 4.98

-66.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.52 CHF 2.00

-26.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.35 CHF 1.87

-3.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.60 CHF 2.07

-59.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.37 CHF 1.09

-20.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$11.11 CHF 8.82

-62.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$13.90 CHF 11.03

-25.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.33 CHF 1.85

-26.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.33 CHF 2.64

-21.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$4.00 CHF 3.17

-86.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$98.6 CHF 78.3

-72.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$7.97 CHF 6.33

-60.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$4.27 CHF 3.39

-41.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$80.7 CHF 64.1

-96.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.20 CHF 1.75

-42.27%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$40.2K CHF 31.9K

-24.44%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$42.1K CHF 33.5K

-44.09%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$262 CHF 208

-68.28%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$49.37 CHF 39.20

-54.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$59.0 CHF 46.80

-50.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$89.0 CHF 70.6

-42.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$75.2 CHF 59.7

-75.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$22.42 CHF 17.80

-78.01%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$2,932 CHF 2,327

-93.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$34.4K CHF 27.3K

-84.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$138 CHF 110

-73.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$68.2 CHF 54.2

-41.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$148 CHF 118

-45.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$191 CHF 152

-53.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$1,683 CHF 1,336

-43.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$1,484 CHF 1,178

-67.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$2,845 CHF 2,259

-42.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$2,462 CHF 1,955

-50.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$16.5K CHF 13.1K

-76.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$11.7K CHF 9,327

-45.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$6,817 CHF 5,412

-90.22%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Embrach: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,683 in Embrach. 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 922% higher in Embrach, 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 $143 in Embrach. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $666 – 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 Embrach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $3,522 in Embrach – roughly 177% apart. Embrach costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,284 in Embrach. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $3,522 in Embrach. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 266% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Embrach at $3,522. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Embrach 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $3,522 in Embrach. 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, Embrach makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.