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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,400 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,296 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,192 in Giubiasco, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Giubiasco is 155% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$30.34 CHF 24.06

-61.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$169 CHF 134

-75.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$18.70 CHF 14.83

-44.33%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$4.27 CHF 3.39

-15.46%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$4.86 CHF 3.86

-69.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$4.17 CHF 3.31

-76.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$7.29 CHF 5.78

-59.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$7.24 CHF 5.74

-36.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.17 CHF 1.72

-34.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$3.45 CHF 2.74

-44.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$4.87 CHF 3.86

-67.76%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$6.88 CHF 5.46

-61.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$26.60 CHF 21.09

-68.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$36.48 CHF 28.93

-76.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$44.77 CHF 35.51

-75.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.22 CHF 2.56

-16.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.95 CHF 1.54

-22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.79 CHF 2.21

-31.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$7.48 CHF 5.93

-70.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.27 CHF 1.80

-17.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.31 CHF 1.83

-3.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.62 CHF 2.07

-58.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.61 CHF 1.28

-33.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$10.66 CHF 8.45

-60.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$12.83 CHF 10.18

-19.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$3.63 CHF 2.88

-53.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$4.12 CHF 3.27

-38.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$4.00 CHF 3.17

-86.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$97.2 CHF 77.1

-72.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$6.84 CHF 5.43

-53.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$4.33 CHF 3.43

-43.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$62.1 CHF 49.21

-94.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$2.15 CHF 1.71

-38.60%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$40.4K CHF 32.0K

-25.28%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$37.7K CHF 29.9K

-37.97%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$203 CHF 161

-60.01%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$69.1 CHF 54.8

-67.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$55.4 CHF 43.96

-45.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$86.9 CHF 68.9

-40.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$18.46 CHF 14.64

-72.05%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$1,231 CHF 977

-83.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$34.2K CHF 27.2K

-84.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$111 CHF 87.7

-67.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$48.68 CHF 38.61

-17.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$131 CHF 104

-39.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$150 CHF 119

-42.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$1,701 CHF 1,349

-44.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$1,475 CHF 1,170

-67.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$2,790 CHF 2,213

-41.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$2,504 CHF 1,986

-51.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$17.7K CHF 14.1K

-77.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$11.2K CHF 8,891

-42.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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 15, 2026

Last update for Giubiasco: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 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 $169 in Giubiasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $669 – 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 163%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,100 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 $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,231 in Giubiasco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 164% 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 $1,294, than in Giubiasco at $3,400. 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.