Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and La Chaux-de-Fonds Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and La Chaux-de-Fonds

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,063 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,852 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,641 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 57% cheaper than La Chaux-de-Fonds, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while La Chaux-de-Fonds is 122% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$24.87 CHF 20.31

-51.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$85.2 CHF 69.6

-44.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$18.84 CHF 15.39

-37.63%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$4.72 CHF 3.86

-12.71%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$3.74 CHF 3.06

-62.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$4.73 CHF 3.87

-80.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$7.39 CHF 6.04

-56.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$6.05 CHF 4.94

16.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$2.26 CHF 1.85

-25.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$3.21 CHF 2.62

-33.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$3.26 CHF 2.66

-45.71%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$7.97 CHF 6.51

-64.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$26.29 CHF 21.47

-65.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$27.42 CHF 22.39

-66.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$42.24 CHF 34.50

-70.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.58 CHF 2.92

-17.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$2.32 CHF 1.89

-31.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$3.02 CHF 2.47

-26.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$4.82 CHF 3.93

-51.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$1.76 CHF 1.44

13.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$2.03 CHF 1.66

-2.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$2.30 CHF 1.88

-46.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$1.65 CHF 1.34

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$11.24 CHF 9.18

-59.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$12.13 CHF 9.90

-13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$2.49 CHF 2.03

-32.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$3.04 CHF 2.48

-8.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$4.40 CHF 3.59

-86.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

$100.0 CHF 81.6

-70.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$8.14 CHF 6.64

-35.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$4.80 CHF 3.92

-23.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$86.9 CHF 71.0

-93.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$2.26 CHF 1.85

-31.86%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

-48.97%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$40.3K CHF 32.9K

-35.98%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$298 CHF 244

-69.62%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$54.2 CHF 44.25

-53.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$66.1 CHF 54.0

-51.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$76.4 CHF 62.4

-9.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

$44.09 CHF 36.00

-33.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$23.35 CHF 19.07

-79.19%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$2,984 CHF 2,437

-92.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$20.6K CHF 16.8K

-79.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$146 CHF 119

-67.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$80.7 CHF 65.9

-46.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$166 CHF 136

-51.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$204 CHF 167

-55.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,483 CHF 1,211

-26.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

$1,105 CHF 902

-63.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$4,017 CHF 3,280

-50.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$2,413 CHF 1,970

-46.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$17.0K CHF 13.9K

-76.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

$11.5K CHF 9,350

-41.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$5,259 CHF 4,294

-85.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.43

371.19%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,483 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 580% higher in La Chaux-de-Fonds, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $591 – 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 La Chaux-de-Fonds: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Chaux-de-Fonds costs about 135% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,595 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $3,063 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in La Chaux-de-Fonds at $3,063. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Chaux-de-Fonds it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,305 versus $3,063 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, La Chaux-de-Fonds makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.