Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $3,626 in St. Moritz, rent and utilities included – about $29,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
174

Cost of Living Index in St. Moritz
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St. Moritz Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

St. Moritz

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,626

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in St. Moritz

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in St. Moritz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,626 in St. Moritz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
St. Moritz $3,626

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,508 in St. Moritz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
St. Moritz $6,508

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $9,390 in St. Moritz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
St. Moritz $9,390

Playa del Carmen is about 67% cheaper than St. Moritz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while St. Moritz is 166% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$204

$34.20 CHF 28.37

-68.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$808

$143 CHF 119

-69.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$220

$14.40 CHF 11.94

-18.19%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.0

$5.90 CHF 4.90

-35.42%

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

$1.28 MX$23.90

$5.54 CHF 4.60

-76.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.59

$4.60 CHF 3.82

-83.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.0

$9.90 CHF 8.21

-67.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.0

$6.03 CHF 5.00

-18.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.22

$1.81 CHF 1.50

-22.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.33

$3.96 CHF 3.29

-43.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.42

$3.60 CHF 2.99

-60.56%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.03

$7.67 CHF 6.36

-67.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$135

$27.09 CHF 22.47

-73.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$143

$28.89 CHF 23.97

-73.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$237

$60.5 CHF 50.2

-79.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.9

$4.09 CHF 3.39

-32.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.50

$2.75 CHF 2.28

-50.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.55

$3.60 CHF 2.99

-29.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.58

$4.59 CHF 3.81

-53.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.13

$2.55 CHF 2.11

-23.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.16

$2.34 CHF 1.94

-19.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.37

$2.49 CHF 2.06

-53.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$21.98

$1.25 CHF 1.03

-5.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.1

$10.77 CHF 8.94

-60.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$185

$13.92 CHF 11.54

-28.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.52

$2.88 CHF 2.39

-45.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$49.79

$3.21 CHF 2.66

-16.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.31

$3.92 CHF 3.26

-85.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$496

$92.6 CHF 76.8

-71.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$92.6

$8.08 CHF 6.70

-38.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.1

$4.54 CHF 3.77

-26.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$99.8

$87.8 CHF 72.8

-93.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.92

$2.14 CHF 1.77

-32.71%

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

$20.7K MX$385.2K

$38.6K CHF 32.0K

-46.47%

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

$23.5K MX$437.4K

$39.6K CHF 32.9K

-40.75%

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

$84.8 MX$1,581

$96.8 CHF 80.3

-12.42%

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

$23.41 MX$436

$39.12 CHF 32.45

-40.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$534

$54.8 CHF 45.42

-47.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,063

$73.0 CHF 60.5

-21.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$539

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$95.8

$18.96 CHF 15.73

-72.89%

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

$207 MX$3,851

$3,402 CHF 2,823

-93.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.2K

$41.2K CHF 34.2K

-90.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$808

$140 CHF 116

-69.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$772

$55.1 CHF 45.69

-24.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,383

$161 CHF 133

-53.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,664

$249 CHF 206

-64.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.3K

$1,794 CHF 1,488

-45.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,099

$1,753 CHF 1,454

-78.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.8K

$5,403 CHF 4,482

-68.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.0K

$4,730 CHF 3,924

-77.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$114.8K

$12.3K CHF 10.2K

-49.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.7K

$4,889 CHF 4,056

-84.98%

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for St. Moritz: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

St. Moritz

$1.8K 48.3% 360% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

St. Moritz

$670 18.5% 163% $415

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

St. Moritz

$490 13.5% 142% $287

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

St. Moritz

$191 5.3% 39.3% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

St. Moritz

$272 7.5% 144% $160

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

St. Moritz

$111 3.1% 64.7% $44

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

St. Moritz

$139 3.8% 176% $89

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,794 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 in St. Moritz are about 6.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $143 in St. Moritz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $670 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇨🇭 St. Moritz

🕒 Local time

08:06 8:06 AM

14:06 2:06 PM

6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

5,000

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.83 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.923 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen St. Moritz 8,870 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
St. Moritz

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 201%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,438 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,794 in St. Moritz.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $3,626 in St. Moritz. That’s a gap of about 201%.

Public transport costs about 71% 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 $1,204, than in St. Moritz at $3,626. 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.