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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,143 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,986 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,828 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 59% cheaper than La Chaux-de-Fonds, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while La Chaux-de-Fonds is 135% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$24.98 CHF 19.69

-53.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$85.0 CHF 67.0

-51.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$18.29 CHF 14.42

-41.83%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.60 CHF 3.63

-23.48%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$3.62 CHF 2.86

-58.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$4.58 CHF 3.61

-78.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$7.33 CHF 5.78

-59.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$6.13 CHF 4.83

-27.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.30 CHF 1.82

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.79 CHF 2.99

-50.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$4.32 CHF 3.41

-62.04%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$7.38 CHF 5.82

-65.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$27.39 CHF 21.59

-69.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$33.78 CHF 26.63

-75.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$53.0 CHF 41.75

-79.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.53 CHF 2.79

-26.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.46 CHF 1.94

-40.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.08 CHF 2.43

-38.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$6.21 CHF 4.90

-66.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.57 CHF 2.02

-30.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.39 CHF 1.89

-8.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.59 CHF 2.04

-59.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.33 CHF 1.05

-18.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$10.97 CHF 8.65

-62.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$12.50 CHF 9.86

-17.44%

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

$3.74 CHF 2.95

-31.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.10 CHF 2.44

-83.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$158 CHF 125

-83.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$7.52 CHF 5.93

-56.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.64 CHF 2.87

-31.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$65.5 CHF 51.7

-95.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.20 CHF 1.73

-40.45%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$41.2K CHF 32.5K

-26.52%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$48.4K CHF 38.2K

-51.59%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$257 CHF 203

-67.76%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$48.20 CHF 38.00

-53.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$63.5 CHF 50.1

-53.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$77.1 CHF 60.8

-33.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$24.58 CHF 19.38

-79.37%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$3,131 CHF 2,469

-93.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$20.9K CHF 16.5K

-75.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$138 CHF 109

-73.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$79.0 CHF 62.3

-49.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$160 CHF 127

-51.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$211 CHF 166

-58.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,460 CHF 1,151

-33.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,104 CHF 870

-57.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$3,903 CHF 3,077

-57.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$2,381 CHF 1,877

-48.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$13.1K CHF 10.4K

-69.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$9,930 CHF 7,829

-34.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$5,383 CHF 4,244

-87.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.46

364.23%

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 La Chaux-de-Fonds: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,460 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 711% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $677 – 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 142% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,715 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 $42.00 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $3,143 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 $1,297, than in La Chaux-de-Fonds at $3,143. 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 $1,297 versus $3,143 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.