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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,371 in Glarus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,198 in Glarus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,024 in Glarus, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Glarus is 152% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$30.97 CHF 25.09

-61.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$141 CHF 114

-70.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$15.91 CHF 12.89

-32.43%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$5.79 CHF 4.69

-39.55%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$5.42 CHF 4.39

-73.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$4.25 CHF 3.45

-79.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.35 CHF 5.95

-59.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.33 CHF 5.94

-38.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.95 CHF 1.58

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.85 CHF 2.30

-35.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-28.96%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$7.98 CHF 6.46

-68.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$30.67 CHF 24.84

-73.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$35.89 CHF 29.07

-76.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$51.3 CHF 41.59

-79.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.79 CHF 3.07

-31.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.31 CHF 1.87

-37.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.87 CHF 2.33

-31.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.16 CHF 4.99

-66.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.38 CHF 1.93

-22.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.47 CHF 2.00

-12.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.58 CHF 2.09

-60.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.22 CHF 0.98

-12.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$11.02 CHF 8.93

-62.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$11.25 CHF 9.11

-9.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.42 CHF 1.96

-30.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.48 CHF 2.82

-27.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$6.01 CHF 4.87

-91.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$112 CHF 90.4

-76.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$7.92 CHF 6.42

-59.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$4.13 CHF 3.34

-41.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$87.1 CHF 70.6

-96.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.14 CHF 1.73

-38.32%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$35.3K CHF 28.6K

-15.83%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$38.7K CHF 31.4K

-38.93%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$224 CHF 182

-63.45%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$74.4 CHF 60.2

-69.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$48.66 CHF 39.41

-38.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$91.4 CHF 74.0

-43.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$43.27 CHF 35.05

-57.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$20.61 CHF 16.69

-75.84%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$2,895 CHF 2,345

-93.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$42.3K CHF 34.3K

-87.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$139 CHF 113

-74.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$75.7 CHF 61.3

-46.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$134 CHF 108

-41.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$159 CHF 129

-44.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,668 CHF 1,351

-43.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,319 CHF 1,069

-64.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,892 CHF 2,343

-43.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$2,374 CHF 1,923

-49.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$14.1K CHF 11.4K

-71.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$10.7K CHF 8,703

-39.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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 13, 2026

Last update for Glarus: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,668 in Glarus. 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 $141 in Glarus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $668 – 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 Glarus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Glarus is pricier by about 168%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,056 in Glarus. 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.

Public transport costs about 328% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,895 in Glarus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Glarus at $3,371. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glarus 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.

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, Glarus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.