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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,435 in Lancy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,389 in Lancy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,343 in Lancy.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 63% less than in Lancy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Lancy is 158% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$31.40 CHF 25.34

-62.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$150 CHF 121

-72.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$18.79 CHF 15.16

-44.07%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$6.04 CHF 4.87

-40.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$5.27 CHF 4.25

-71.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$4.83 CHF 3.89

-80.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$10.02 CHF 8.08

-70.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.70 CHF 6.21

-42.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-38.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$3.79 CHF 3.06

-50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$4.32 CHF 3.49

-63.89%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$7.53 CHF 6.08

-65.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$27.07 CHF 21.85

-69.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$33.79 CHF 27.27

-75.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$43.35 CHF 34.98

-74.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.53 CHF 2.85

-23.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.42 CHF 1.95

-37.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.97 CHF 2.40

-37.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$6.25 CHF 5.05

-64.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.69 CHF 2.17

-30.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.36 CHF 1.90

-5.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-58.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.32 CHF 1.06

-17.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$11.23 CHF 9.07

-62.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.10 CHF 9.76

-13.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-28.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.14 CHF 2.53

-16.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$4.01 CHF 3.24

-86.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$99.6 CHF 80.4

-73.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$7.52 CHF 6.07

-59.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$3.67 CHF 2.96

-34.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$65.2 CHF 52.6

-95.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.13 CHF 1.72

-38.50%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$40.5K CHF 32.7K

-26.43%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$45.1K CHF 36.4K

-48.33%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$260 CHF 210

-68.73%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$47.84 CHF 38.61

-52.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$59.5 CHF 48.01

-49.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$89.4 CHF 72.1

-40.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$49.12 CHF 39.64

-62.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$22.47 CHF 18.13

-78.10%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$2,568 CHF 2,072

-92.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$33.4K CHF 26.9K

-84.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$132 CHF 107

-72.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$80.0 CHF 64.5

-49.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$162 CHF 130

-50.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$214 CHF 173

-59.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,692 CHF 1,365

-42.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$1,476 CHF 1,191

-68.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$2,826 CHF 2,280

-41.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$2,462 CHF 1,987

-51.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$16.7K CHF 13.5K

-76.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$14.0K CHF 11.3K

-52.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Lancy: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $1,692 in Lancy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $150 in Lancy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $644 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Lancy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 173% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $5,153 in Lancy to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,692 in Lancy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,435 in Lancy – a 173% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 281% less than in Lancy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,435 in Lancy, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lancy. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lancy, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 173% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.