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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,806 in Sion, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,758 in Sion, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,709 in Sion, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 55% cheaper than Sion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Sion is 110% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$30.60 CHF 24.79

-60.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$122 CHF 99.0

-65.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$18.01 CHF 14.59

-40.31%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.67 CHF 3.78

-25.05%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$5.08 CHF 4.12

-71.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$4.38 CHF 3.55

-79.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.60 CHF 6.15

-61.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.17 CHF 5.81

-37.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.85 CHF 1.50

-22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.82 CHF 3.10

-51.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$5.04 CHF 4.08

-68.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$6.20 CHF 5.02

-59.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$27.38 CHF 22.18

-69.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$23.80 CHF 19.28

-64.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$44.05 CHF 35.68

-75.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.58 CHF 2.90

-27.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.72 CHF 2.20

-47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.64 CHF 2.95

-46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.34 CHF 5.14

-67.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.14 CHF 2.54

-41.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.82 CHF 2.29

-23.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.54 CHF 2.06

-59.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.25 CHF 1.01

-14.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$11.00 CHF 8.91

-62.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$13.59 CHF 11.01

-25.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.82 CHF 1.47

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.88 CHF 1.52

34.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$5.14 CHF 4.16

-90.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$181 CHF 147

-85.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$6.30 CHF 5.10

-48.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$4.24 CHF 3.44

-43.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$49.32 CHF 39.95

-93.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-41.07%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$40.9K CHF 33.1K

-27.33%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$37.6K CHF 30.5K

-37.10%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$307 CHF 249

-73.28%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$37.36 CHF 30.26

-38.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$59.0 CHF 47.80

-48.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$140 CHF 114

-62.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$55.6 CHF 45.00

-66.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$22.42 CHF 18.16

-77.79%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$985 CHF 798

-79.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$35.2K CHF 28.5K

-84.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$133 CHF 107

-73.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$60.8 CHF 49.24

-33.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$157 CHF 127

-49.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$223 CHF 181

-60.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$873 CHF 707

8.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$743 CHF 602

-36.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,715 CHF 1,389

-4.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,922 CHF 1,557

-37.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$7,432 CHF 6,020

-45.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$5,527 CHF 4,477

17.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$5,940 CHF 4,811

-88.99%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sion: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $873 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 808% 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 $596 – 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 123%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,210 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $2,806 in Sion. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 597% 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 $1,256, than in Sion at $2,806. 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.