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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,522 in Embrach, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,426 in Embrach, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,330 in Embrach, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 63% cheaper than Embrach, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Embrach is 163% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$30.83 CHF 24.38

-61.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$144 CHF 114

-70.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$18.23 CHF 14.42

-41.91%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$5.87 CHF 4.64

-38.33%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$5.28 CHF 4.17

-72.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$4.69 CHF 3.71

-79.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$8.48 CHF 6.71

-63.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.37 CHF 5.83

-39.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.26 CHF 1.79

-36.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.45 CHF 2.73

-45.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$4.08 CHF 3.22

-60.05%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$7.25 CHF 5.74

-63.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$29.48 CHF 23.32

-72.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$32.93 CHF 26.05

-74.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$48.04 CHF 38.00

-76.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.78 CHF 2.99

-29.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.21 CHF 1.75

-32.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.85 CHF 2.25

-30.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$6.17 CHF 4.88

-66.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-28.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-9.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.58 CHF 2.04

-58.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.33 CHF 1.05

-21.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$11.28 CHF 8.92

-64.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$14.05 CHF 11.11

-27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.38 CHF 1.88

-27.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.23 CHF 2.55

-22.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$4.00 CHF 3.16

-87.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$98.3 CHF 77.8

-72.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$7.74 CHF 6.12

-59.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$4.12 CHF 3.26

-41.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$80.3 CHF 63.5

-96.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-43.30%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$40.4K CHF 31.9K

-23.47%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$41.2K CHF 32.6K

-43.47%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$256 CHF 202

-67.95%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$47.83 CHF 37.84

-53.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$59.3 CHF 46.93

-50.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$87.4 CHF 69.1

-40.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$73.0 CHF 57.7

-74.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$22.74 CHF 17.99

-78.14%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$2,919 CHF 2,309

-93.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$35.4K CHF 28.0K

-85.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$136 CHF 108

-73.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$68.5 CHF 54.2

-41.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$151 CHF 119

-47.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$185 CHF 146

-51.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,677 CHF 1,326

-42.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,444 CHF 1,142

-67.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,876 CHF 2,275

-44.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$2,496 CHF 1,974

-51.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$13.8K CHF 10.9K

-71.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$10.8K CHF 8,533

-40.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$6,959 CHF 5,504

-89.65%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Embrach: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,677 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 866% 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 $144 in Embrach. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $659 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $3,522 in Embrach – roughly 174% apart. Embrach costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,283 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 $1,287 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 265% 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 $1,287, 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 $1,287 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.