🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,991 in Martigny.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,144 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,099 in Martigny.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,207 in Martigny.
🌍Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 59% less than in Martigny, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 9% below, Martigny is 123% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Martigny
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.97MX$200
$33.24CHF 27.64
-67.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.85MX$816
$105CHF 87.5
-57.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.92MX$217
$19.83CHF 16.49
-39.89%
Cappuccino
$3.80MX$69.2
$4.48CHF 3.73
-15.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31MX$23.86
$4.83CHF 4.02
-72.88%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86MX$15.58
$3.84CHF 3.20
-77.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21MX$58.4
$7.09CHF 5.90
-54.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.01MX$91.2
$6.18CHF 5.14
-18.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Martigny
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.46MX$26.53
$2.23CHF 1.86
-34.53%
White Bread(500g)
$2.33MX$42.33
$3.55CHF 2.96
-34.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.44MX$26.24
$2.37CHF 1.97
-39.24%
Eggs
$2.46MX$44.78
$4.24CHF 3.52
-41.98%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.70MX$140
$23.75CHF 19.75
-67.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.89MX$144
$19.52CHF 16.23
-59.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.80MX$233
$30.14CHF 25.07
-57.53%
Apples(1kg)
$2.92MX$53.1
$3.21CHF 2.67
-9.03%
Banana(1kg)
$1.42MX$25.87
$1.62CHF 1.35
-12.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.57MX$46.66
$2.55CHF 2.12
0.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.14MX$38.88
$5.87CHF 4.88
-63.54%
Potato(1kg)
$1.95MX$35.42
$1.85CHF 1.54
5.41%
Onion(1kg)
$1.94MX$35.22
$2.16CHF 1.80
-10.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15MX$20.94
$1.22CHF 1.01
-5.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22MX$22.21
$1.15CHF 0.96
6.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.38MX$79.6
$10.87CHF 9.04
-59.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.85MX$179
$12.07CHF 10.03
-18.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54MX$27.97
$1.23CHF 1.03
25.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72MX$49.40
$2.34CHF 1.95
16.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Martigny
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.55
$3.94CHF 3.28
-86.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$27.42MX$499
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.91MX$89.4
$7.24CHF 6.02
-32.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.52MX$64.1
$5.69CHF 4.73
-38.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.69MX$103
$77.0CHF 64.0
-92.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$28.01
$2.29CHF 1.90
-32.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2KMX$386.3K
$34.4KCHF 28.6K
-38.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5KMX$445.4K
$39.8KCHF 33.1K
-38.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Martigny
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.6MX$1,521
$298CHF 248
-71.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.03MX$437
$22.36CHF 18.59
7.47%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.33MX$534
$48.03CHF 39.94
-38.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Martigny
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$64.9MX$1,180
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.46MX$536
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.09MX$92.5
$21.52CHF 17.90
-76.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Martigny
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$208MX$3,778
$1,221CHF 1,015
-82.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,045MX$73.6K
$34.1KCHF 28.4K
-88.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Martigny
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.55MX$810
$107CHF 88.8
-58.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06MX$765
$48.77CHF 40.56
-13.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$75.5MX$1,374
$134CHF 111
-43.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4MX$1,662
$161CHF 134
-43.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Martigny
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$986MX$17.9K
$1,277CHF 1,062
-22.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$385MX$7,007
$1,422CHF 1,183
-72.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,713MX$31.2K
$2,001CHF 1,664
-14.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,108MX$20.2K
$1,646CHF 1,369
-32.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,016MX$73.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,247MX$113.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Martigny
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
2.37
383.12%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026
Last update for Martigny: October 5, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Playa del Carmen and $1,277 in Martigny. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $105 in Martigny for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $472 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 Martigny: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Martigny?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 146% lower than in Martigny. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Martigny?
You'd need roughly $1,823 in Playa del Carmen and $4,486 in Martigny 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Martigny?
Rent for a central apartment: $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,277 in Martigny. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Martigny?
Childcare runs $208 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,221 in Martigny. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Martigny?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $105 in Martigny. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Martigny?
At $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,991 in Martigny, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Martigny. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Martigny?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,215 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Martigny. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared