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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,342 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,285 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,227 in Giubiasco, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 62% cheaper than Giubiasco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Giubiasco is 144% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$35.26 CHF 28.98

-67.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$174 CHF 143

-72.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$20.34 CHF 16.71

-41.59%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$4.64 CHF 3.81

-14.22%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$5.13 CHF 4.22

-72.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$3.90 CHF 3.20

-78.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$9.89 CHF 8.13

-67.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.51 CHF 6.17

-9.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.26 CHF 1.86

-25.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$3.61 CHF 2.96

-39.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$4.25 CHF 3.50

-59.76%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$7.25 CHF 5.96

-62.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$25.93 CHF 21.31

-63.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$30.07 CHF 24.71

-70.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$39.91 CHF 32.80

-67.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$3.35 CHF 2.75

-13.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.85 CHF 1.52

-18.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.88 CHF 2.37

-25.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$6.30 CHF 5.18

-64.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.89 CHF 1.55

4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.13 CHF 1.75

-6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$2.33 CHF 1.92

-47.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.37 CHF 1.12

-12.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$11.21 CHF 9.21

-59.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$12.47 CHF 10.25

-16.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$2.98 CHF 2.45

-45.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$4.03 CHF 3.31

-28.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$4.29 CHF 3.52

-86.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$90.3 CHF 74.2

-68.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$7.63 CHF 6.27

-29.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$5.66 CHF 4.65

-34.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$37.18 CHF 30.56

-84.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$2.29 CHF 1.88

-32.75%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$34.7K CHF 28.5K

-35.01%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$39.9K CHF 32.8K

-34.64%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$231 CHF 190

-60.42%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$22.28 CHF 18.31

13.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$49.62 CHF 40.78

-37.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$99.6 CHF 81.8

-32.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$42.96 CHF 35.31

-32.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$20.29 CHF 16.67

-76.05%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$1,240 CHF 1,019

-81.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$34.9K CHF 28.7K

-87.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$167 CHF 137

-71.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$56.3 CHF 46.27

-21.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$192 CHF 157

-58.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$151 CHF 124

-38.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,602 CHF 1,317

-33.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$1,661 CHF 1,365

-76.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$2,866 CHF 2,356

-25.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,332 CHF 1,916

-45.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$17.6K CHF 14.5K

-77.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$11.8K CHF 9,678

-44.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.9

502.63%

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 Giubiasco: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,602 in Giubiasco. 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 $174 in Giubiasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $607 – 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 Giubiasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Giubiasco is pricier by about 164%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,014 in Giubiasco. 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.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,240 in Giubiasco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 120% more in Giubiasco, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Giubiasco at $3,342. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Giubiasco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Giubiasco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.