Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and St. Gallen Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and St. Gallen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,529 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,441 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,353 in St. Gallen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 64% cheaper than St. Gallen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while St. Gallen is 164% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$30.33 CHF 24.57

-60.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$147 CHF 119

-71.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$18.50 CHF 14.99

-41.89%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$6.36 CHF 5.15

-44.97%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$5.84 CHF 4.73

-75.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$5.33 CHF 4.32

-83.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.66 CHF 6.20

-61.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.28 CHF 5.89

-38.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.20 CHF 1.78

-35.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.66 CHF 2.15

-30.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$3.53 CHF 2.86

-55.52%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$8.31 CHF 6.73

-69.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$27.25 CHF 22.08

-69.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$32.23 CHF 26.10

-73.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$41.77 CHF 33.84

-74.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.27 CHF 2.65

-20.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.86 CHF 1.51

-22.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.45 CHF 1.98

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$7.04 CHF 5.70

-70.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.53 CHF 2.05

-26.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.32 CHF 1.88

-6.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.38 CHF 1.93

-56.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.11 CHF 0.90

-3.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$10.80 CHF 8.75

-62.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$11.53 CHF 9.34

-11.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-23.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.39 CHF 1.93

5.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$4.21 CHF 3.41

-87.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$82.5 CHF 66.8

-68.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$6.79 CHF 5.50

-52.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$4.10 CHF 3.32

-41.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$79.4 CHF 64.3

-95.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.14 CHF 1.73

-38.32%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-26.93%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$40.8K CHF 33.1K

-42.04%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$324 CHF 262

-74.66%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$59.4 CHF 48.09

-61.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$52.2 CHF 42.30

-42.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$82.7 CHF 67.0

-37.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$100 CHF 81.0

-81.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$31.00 CHF 25.11

-83.94%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$2,815 CHF 2,280

-92.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$34.2K CHF 27.7K

-84.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$145 CHF 118

-75.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$64.6 CHF 52.3

-37.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$159 CHF 128

-50.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$233 CHF 189

-61.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,816 CHF 1,471

-47.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,495 CHF 1,211

-68.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,793 CHF 2,262

-41.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$2,310 CHF 1,871

-47.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$12.4K CHF 10.0K

-67.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$9,105 CHF 7,375

-28.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$6,998 CHF 5,668

-90.66%

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 St. Gallen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,816 in St. Gallen. 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 970% higher in St. Gallen, 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 $147 in St. Gallen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $610 – 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 St. Gallen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Gallen is pricier by about 181%, 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 $5,293 in St. Gallen. 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 $3,529 in St. Gallen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 217% 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 St. Gallen at $3,529. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Gallen 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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