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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,334 in Stabio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,226 in Stabio, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,118 in Stabio, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 62% cheaper than Stabio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Stabio is 148% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$31.01 CHF 24.78

-61.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$169 CHF 135

-74.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$18.32 CHF 14.65

-41.87%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$4.25 CHF 3.40

-18.82%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$4.89 CHF 3.91

-69.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$4.09 CHF 3.27

-76.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$7.31 CHF 5.84

-58.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$7.36 CHF 5.89

-37.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$2.24 CHF 1.79

-38.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.62 CHF 2.89

-48.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$4.68 CHF 3.74

-65.60%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$6.74 CHF 5.38

-61.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$26.95 CHF 21.54

-69.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$35.36 CHF 28.26

-76.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$45.05 CHF 36.01

-76.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$3.19 CHF 2.55

-17.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.94 CHF 1.55

-23.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$2.50 CHF 2.00

-23.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$7.34 CHF 5.87

-71.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$2.27 CHF 1.81

-18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$2.30 CHF 1.84

-1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$2.52 CHF 2.02

-57.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$1.26 CHF 1.01

-13.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$10.41 CHF 8.32

-60.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$12.74 CHF 10.18

-18.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.57 CHF 2.05

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$4.22 CHF 3.38

-38.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$3.83 CHF 3.06

-85.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$97.2 CHF 77.7

-72.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$6.70 CHF 5.35

-53.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$4.56 CHF 3.65

-44.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$61.0 CHF 48.75

-94.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$2.15 CHF 1.72

-40.93%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$41.1K CHF 32.9K

-26.18%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$37.3K CHF 29.8K

-36.89%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$205 CHF 164

-59.53%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$67.8 CHF 54.2

-66.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$53.9 CHF 43.04

-45.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$88.2 CHF 70.5

-42.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$18.43 CHF 14.73

-73.25%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$1,236 CHF 988

-84.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$35.2K CHF 28.1K

-84.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$107 CHF 85.4

-65.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$47.56 CHF 38.01

-16.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$134 CHF 107

-40.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$149 CHF 119

-39.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$1,708 CHF 1,365

-44.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$1,474 CHF 1,178

-67.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$2,804 CHF 2,242

-41.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$2,461 CHF 1,967

-50.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$15.9K CHF 12.7K

-75.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$10.8K CHF 8,641

-40.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Stabio: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,708 in Stabio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $169 in Stabio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $655 – 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 Stabio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stabio is pricier by about 162%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,002 in Stabio. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $3,334 in Stabio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 261% 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 $1,271, than in Stabio at $3,334. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stabio 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, Stabio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.