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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,758 in St. Moritz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,619 in St. Moritz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $9,479 in St. Moritz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 65% cheaper than St. Moritz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while St. Moritz is 173% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$37.71 CHF 30.78

-68.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$147 CHF 120

-67.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$14.97 CHF 12.22

-21.51%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$6.34 CHF 5.18

-35.02%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$5.52 CHF 4.51

-74.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$4.57 CHF 3.73

-80.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$9.78 CHF 7.98

-67.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$6.33 CHF 5.16

11.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.86 CHF 1.52

-9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.89 CHF 3.17

-44.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.84 CHF 3.13

-53.91%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$7.50 CHF 6.12

-62.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$27.52 CHF 22.46

-66.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$27.09 CHF 22.11

-65.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$62.2 CHF 50.8

-79.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.14 CHF 3.38

-28.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.88 CHF 2.35

-45.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.51 CHF 2.87

-36.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.85 CHF 3.96

-51.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.58 CHF 2.10

-22.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.18 CHF 1.78

-9.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.59 CHF 2.12

-52.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.27 CHF 1.04

-4.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$11.03 CHF 9.00

-58.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.32 CHF 10.87

-21.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.85 CHF 2.32

-40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.25 CHF 2.65

-14.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$3.85 CHF 3.15

-84.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$95.6 CHF 78.0

-68.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$8.57 CHF 6.99

-38.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$4.82 CHF 3.93

-24.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$91.1 CHF 74.4

-93.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-31.56%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$41.1K CHF 33.5K

-44.52%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$40.7K CHF 33.2K

-36.55%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$97.1 CHF 79.3

-6.65%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$39.52 CHF 32.25

-36.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$58.2 CHF 47.46

-45.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$73.8 CHF 60.2

-6.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$19.30 CHF 15.75

-74.82%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$3,671 CHF 2,996

-93.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$43.2K CHF 35.2K

-90.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$148 CHF 121

-68.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$60.9 CHF 49.73

-28.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$171 CHF 140

-53.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$265 CHF 216

-65.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,874 CHF 1,529

-42.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,758 CHF 1,435

-76.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$5,636 CHF 4,599

-65.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$4,841 CHF 3,950

-73.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$12.6K CHF 10.3K

-46.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$4,853 CHF 3,961

-84.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.8

536.11%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for St. Moritz: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,874 in St. Moritz. 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 528% higher in St. Moritz, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $147 in St. Moritz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $669 – 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. Moritz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Moritz is pricier by about 188%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,637 in St. Moritz. 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $3,758 in St. Moritz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 222% 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 $1,305, than in St. Moritz at $3,758. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Moritz 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, St. Moritz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.