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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,340 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,239 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,138 in Giubiasco, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Giubiasco is 151% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$31.28 CHF 25.25

-62.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$164 CHF 132

-74.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$18.53 CHF 14.95

-43.28%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.42 CHF 3.57

-18.78%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$4.80 CHF 3.87

-68.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$4.15 CHF 3.35

-77.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$7.54 CHF 6.09

-60.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.41 CHF 5.98

-40.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.25 CHF 1.82

-37.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$3.52 CHF 2.84

-46.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$4.75 CHF 3.83

-67.16%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$6.99 CHF 5.64

-62.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$27.19 CHF 21.94

-69.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$35.90 CHF 28.97

-76.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$44.31 CHF 35.76

-75.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.10 CHF 2.50

-12.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.03 CHF 1.64

-25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.83 CHF 2.29

-33.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$7.22 CHF 5.83

-69.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.27 CHF 1.83

-18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.34 CHF 1.89

-4.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.61 CHF 2.10

-59.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.70 CHF 1.37

-35.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$10.49 CHF 8.46

-60.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.37 CHF 9.98

-15.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$3.60 CHF 2.91

-53.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$4.19 CHF 3.38

-37.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.84 CHF 3.10

-85.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$98.5 CHF 79.5

-73.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$6.62 CHF 5.34

-53.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$4.53 CHF 3.65

-47.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$61.1 CHF 49.27

-94.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.21 CHF 1.78

-40.72%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$40.2K CHF 32.5K

-25.94%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$36.9K CHF 29.8K

-36.83%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$202 CHF 163

-59.76%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$67.6 CHF 54.6

-66.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$53.7 CHF 43.35

-44.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$86.5 CHF 69.8

-38.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$43.00 CHF 34.70

-57.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$18.67 CHF 15.07

-73.65%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$1,216 CHF 982

-83.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$35.3K CHF 28.5K

-85.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$110 CHF 89.1

-67.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$47.29 CHF 38.17

-15.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$133 CHF 107

-39.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$153 CHF 123

-43.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,701 CHF 1,373

-42.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$1,452 CHF 1,172

-67.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$2,832 CHF 2,285

-41.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$2,432 CHF 1,963

-50.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$15.4K CHF 12.4K

-74.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$11.8K CHF 9,498

-43.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Giubiasco: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,701 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $164 in Giubiasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $667 – 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 165%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,010 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,216 in Giubiasco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 165% 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 $1,260, than in Giubiasco at $3,340. 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.