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

🙂 Solo nomad: Playa del Carmen is 58.6% cheaper than Lugano without rent, and 60.5% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Playa del Carmen is 61.1% cheaper than Lugano without rent, and 59.8% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Lugano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.85 MX$205
$30.61 CHF 23.85
-61.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.16 MX$730
$181 CHF 141
-76.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$186
$18.58 CHF 14.47
-42.14%
Cappuccino
$3.47 MX$60.2
$4.48 CHF 3.49
-22.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.17
$4.75 CHF 3.70
-69.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MX$15.64
$4.02 CHF 3.13
-77.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 MX$52.9
$7.53 CHF 5.87
-59.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 MX$76.5
$7.26 CHF 5.65
-39.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Lugano
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 MX$23.72
$2.25 CHF 1.76
-39.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.87 MX$32.43
$3.48 CHF 2.71
-46.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 MX$26.74
$4.91 CHF 3.82
-68.64%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$43.36
$6.97 CHF 5.43
-64.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.61 MX$149
$26.82 CHF 20.89
-67.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.63 MX$150
$36.39 CHF 28.35
-76.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.02 MX$191
$46.96 CHF 36.59
-76.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 MX$47.62
$3.14 CHF 2.44
-12.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$24.73
$1.97 CHF 1.53
-27.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.44
$2.60 CHF 2.02
-28.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.54
$7.60 CHF 5.92
-71.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 MX$32.61
$2.28 CHF 1.78
-17.54%
Onion (1kg)
$2.25 MX$38.91
$2.22 CHF 1.73
1.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.49
$2.58 CHF 2.01
-58.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.59
$1.24 CHF 0.96
-13.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$72.0
$10.80 CHF 8.41
-61.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.34 MX$179
$13.06 CHF 10.18
-20.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.08
$2.65 CHF 2.06
-36.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 MX$43.02
$4.15 CHF 3.24
-40.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Lugano
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$9.61
$3.15 CHF 2.46
-82.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.53 MX$459
$87.7 CHF 68.3
-69.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.22 MX$55.7
$6.79 CHF 5.29
-52.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.48 MX$42.98
$4.40 CHF 3.43
-43.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 MX$53.9
$62.1 CHF 48.39
-94.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.75
$2.14 CHF 1.67
-41.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7K MX$531.0K
$40.3K CHF 31.4K
-23.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$416.4K
$37.7K CHF 29.4K
-36.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Lugano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.5 MX$1,429
$203 CHF 158
-59.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.29 MX$386
$71.9 CHF 56.0
-68.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.02 MX$520
$53.8 CHF 41.87
-44.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Lugano
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 MX$891
$107 CHF 83.3
-51.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.29 MX$317
$62.7 CHF 48.81
-70.81%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$86.3
$18.33 CHF 14.28
-72.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Lugano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$200 MX$3,464
$1,230 CHF 958
-83.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,304 MX$91.9K
$35.5K CHF 27.7K
-85.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Lugano
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.71 MX$618
$123 CHF 95.9
-71.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.56 MX$685
$47.97 CHF 37.37
-17.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.6 MX$1,395
$133 CHF 103
-39.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.3 MX$1,530
$152 CHF 118
-41.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Lugano
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$969 MX$16.8K
$1,686 CHF 1,314
-42.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 MX$8,352
$1,249 CHF 973
-61.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
$2,789 CHF 2,173
-42.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,184 MX$20.5K
$2,654 CHF 2,067
-55.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,050 MX$70.1K
$17.7K CHF 13.8K
-77.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,522 MX$113.0K
$13.3K CHF 10.4K
-51.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Lugano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$756 MX$13.1K
$6,824 CHF 5,316
-88.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
2.5
356.80%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: March 3, 2026

Last update for Lugano: February 28, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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