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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,279 in Glarus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,259 in Glarus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,238 in Glarus, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 60% cheaper than Glarus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Glarus is 145% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$30.52 CHF 24.07

-61.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$140 CHF 111

-70.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$16.28 CHF 12.84

-34.64%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$5.87 CHF 4.63

-40.03%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$5.16 CHF 4.07

-70.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$4.41 CHF 3.48

-78.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$7.35 CHF 5.79

-59.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$7.23 CHF 5.70

-38.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.00 CHF 1.58

-31.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.76 CHF 2.18

-31.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.21 CHF 1.74

-25.79%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$7.98 CHF 6.29

-68.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$30.90 CHF 24.36

-73.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$35.70 CHF 28.14

-76.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$50.4 CHF 39.71

-78.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.68 CHF 2.90

-29.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.32 CHF 1.83

-37.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.87 CHF 2.26

-33.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$6.36 CHF 5.01

-67.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.46 CHF 1.94

-27.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.41 CHF 1.90

-9.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.67 CHF 2.10

-61.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.22 CHF 0.96

-11.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$11.14 CHF 8.78

-63.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$13.81 CHF 10.89

-25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.40 CHF 1.89

-28.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.31 CHF 2.61

-22.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$6.01 CHF 4.74

-91.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$110 CHF 86.8

-75.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$8.28 CHF 6.52

-60.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$4.29 CHF 3.38

-41.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$88.5 CHF 69.8

-96.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.05 CHF 1.61

-36.10%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$35.1K CHF 27.7K

-13.79%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

-40.42%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$225 CHF 177

-63.11%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$72.9 CHF 57.5

-69.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$49.82 CHF 39.28

-41.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$92.6 CHF 73.0

-44.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$43.93 CHF 34.64

-58.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$19.94 CHF 15.72

-74.57%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$2,938 CHF 2,317

-93.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$43.2K CHF 34.1K

-87.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$140 CHF 111

-73.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$78.3 CHF 61.7

-49.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$134 CHF 106

-41.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$157 CHF 124

-44.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,631 CHF 1,286

-40.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,328 CHF 1,047

-64.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,844 CHF 2,242

-42.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$2,349 CHF 1,852

-48.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$13.9K CHF 11.0K

-71.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$11.4K CHF 9,002

-43.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 2, 2026

Last update for Glarus: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,631 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 $140 in Glarus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $670 – 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 153%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,919 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 316% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,938 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 $1,297, than in Glarus at $3,279. 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.