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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,382 in Lancy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,149 in Lancy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,916 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 7% below, Lancy is 147% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$28.91 CHF 23.76

-59.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$126 CHF 104

-62.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$15.85 CHF 13.02

-25.05%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$6.39 CHF 5.25

-37.72%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$5.25 CHF 4.31

-72.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$4.34 CHF 3.56

-81.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$9.07 CHF 7.45

-64.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$8.07 CHF 6.63

-15.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.19 CHF 1.80

-23.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$2.97 CHF 2.44

-25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$3.20 CHF 2.63

-46.56%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$8.26 CHF 6.79

-66.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$25.22 CHF 20.73

-62.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$29.00 CHF 23.83

-68.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$39.85 CHF 32.75

-67.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$3.49 CHF 2.87

-17.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.70 CHF 1.40

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.69 CHF 2.21

-20.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$4.57 CHF 3.76

-50.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.61 CHF 1.32

22.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.00 CHF 1.64

-0.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$2.13 CHF 1.75

-42.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.31 CHF 1.08

-8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$11.20 CHF 9.21

-59.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$12.11 CHF 9.95

-14.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-26.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$3.11 CHF 2.56

-7.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$4.41 CHF 3.63

-86.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$102 CHF 83.4

-71.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$7.68 CHF 6.31

-29.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$3.92 CHF 3.22

-4.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$66.1 CHF 54.3

-91.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$2.37 CHF 1.94

-35.02%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$39.6K CHF 32.6K

-43.09%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$39.7K CHF 32.6K

-34.29%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$275 CHF 226

-66.80%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$29.05 CHF 23.88

-13.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$55.4 CHF 45.53

-43.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$93.6 CHF 76.9

-28.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$46.97 CHF 38.60

-38.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$24.41 CHF 20.06

-80.09%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$2,476 CHF 2,035

-90.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$32.0K CHF 26.3K

-86.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$137 CHF 112

-65.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$62.4 CHF 51.3

-29.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$158 CHF 130

-49.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$190 CHF 156

-51.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,715 CHF 1,409

-38.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$1,488 CHF 1,222

-73.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$2,899 CHF 2,382

-25.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,546 CHF 2,092

-50.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$16.3K CHF 13.4K

-75.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

-47.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.98

478.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lancy: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,715 in Lancy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $126 in Lancy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $574 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 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $5,073 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,715 in Lancy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,382 in Lancy – a 167% 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 252% less than in Lancy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,382 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 167% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.