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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,011 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,877 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 60% cheaper than La Chaux-de-Fonds, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% 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

$11.99 MX$209

$24.88 CHF 20.15

-51.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$86.0 CHF 69.6

-51.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$18.51 CHF 14.99

-41.92%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.63 CHF 3.75

-24.41%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$3.73 CHF 3.02

-61.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$4.49 CHF 3.64

-80.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.25 CHF 5.87

-59.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$6.29 CHF 5.09

-28.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.17 CHF 1.76

-34.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.78 CHF 3.06

-51.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.43 CHF 3.59

-64.56%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$7.39 CHF 5.98

-66.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$26.83 CHF 21.74

-69.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$33.57 CHF 27.19

-74.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$52.2 CHF 42.31

-79.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.56 CHF 2.89

-26.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.51 CHF 2.04

-42.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.95 CHF 2.39

-33.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.18 CHF 5.01

-66.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.60 CHF 2.11

-28.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.35 CHF 1.91

-7.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.60 CHF 2.10

-60.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.37 CHF 1.11

-21.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$10.90 CHF 8.83

-62.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.40 CHF 10.05

-17.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-30.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.72 CHF 3.01

-31.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-83.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$160 CHF 130

-83.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$7.64 CHF 6.19

-57.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.53 CHF 2.86

-31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$65.5 CHF 53.1

-95.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-41.59%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-25.78%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$48.4K CHF 39.2K

-51.06%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$257 CHF 208

-68.04%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$48.14 CHF 38.99

-52.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$63.8 CHF 51.7

-52.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$75.0 CHF 60.8

-30.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$24.67 CHF 19.99

-79.81%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$3,023 CHF 2,449

-93.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$20.7K CHF 16.8K

-74.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$137 CHF 111

-74.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$80.6 CHF 65.3

-49.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$165 CHF 134

-52.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$208 CHF 169

-57.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,489 CHF 1,206

-36.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,069 CHF 866

-55.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$3,989 CHF 3,231

-58.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$2,369 CHF 1,919

-48.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$17.6K CHF 14.3K

-77.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$11.3K CHF 9,151

-42.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$5,195 CHF 4,208

-87.41%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,489 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 694% 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 $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $671 – 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 150% 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 $1,884 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 $86.0 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $3,144 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 $1,256, than in La Chaux-de-Fonds at $3,144. 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 $1,256 versus $3,144 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.