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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,809 in Sion, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,764 in Sion, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,719 in Sion, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Sion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Sion is 110% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$30.49 CHF 24.04

-61.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$122 CHF 96.0

-65.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$18.18 CHF 14.33

-41.47%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.59 CHF 3.62

-23.31%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$5.12 CHF 4.03

-70.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$4.23 CHF 3.33

-77.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$7.17 CHF 5.65

-58.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$7.45 CHF 5.88

-40.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.83 CHF 1.44

-24.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.86 CHF 3.04

-51.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$4.92 CHF 3.88

-66.67%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$5.96 CHF 4.70

-57.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$28.37 CHF 22.37

-70.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$23.36 CHF 18.41

-64.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$44.20 CHF 34.85

-75.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.40 CHF 2.68

-23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.74 CHF 2.16

-46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.59 CHF 2.83

-47.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$6.13 CHF 4.84

-66.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.15 CHF 2.48

-43.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.98 CHF 2.35

-26.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.54 CHF 2.01

-59.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.20 CHF 0.95

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$11.20 CHF 8.83

-63.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$14.06 CHF 11.09

-26.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.87 CHF 1.47

-8.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.86 CHF 1.46

38.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$5.28 CHF 4.16

-90.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$187 CHF 147

-85.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$6.20 CHF 4.89

-47.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$4.26 CHF 3.36

-41.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$49.76 CHF 39.23

-93.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.22 CHF 1.75

-40.99%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$40.0K CHF 31.5K

-24.30%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$38.4K CHF 30.3K

-39.00%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$309 CHF 243

-73.14%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$37.41 CHF 29.50

-40.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$60.4 CHF 47.62

-51.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$138 CHF 109

-62.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$54.6 CHF 43.07

-66.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$22.52 CHF 17.76

-77.49%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$994 CHF 783

-79.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$35.0K CHF 27.6K

-85.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$135 CHF 107

-72.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$61.3 CHF 48.34

-35.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$161 CHF 127

-51.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$225 CHF 177

-61.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$857 CHF 676

13.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$743 CHF 586

-37.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,701 CHF 1,341

-3.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,888 CHF 1,488

-35.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$7,796 CHF 6,147

-49.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$5,773 CHF 4,551

12.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$6,200 CHF 4,888

-89.29%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sion: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $857 in Sion. 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 834% higher in Sion, 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 $122 in Sion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $595 – 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 Sion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sion is pricier by about 117%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,214 in Sion. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $2,809 in Sion. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 605% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Sion at $2,809. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sion it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sion makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.