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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,494 in Stabio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,483 in Stabio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,473 in Stabio, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 63% cheaper than Stabio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Stabio is 153% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$34.98 CHF 28.44

-65.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$173 CHF 141

-72.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$20.37 CHF 16.56

-42.32%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$4.55 CHF 3.70

-9.45%

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

$1.40 MX$23.77

$4.96 CHF 4.04

-71.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$4.08 CHF 3.32

-77.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$9.64 CHF 7.84

-66.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.50 CHF 6.09

-5.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.48

$2.24 CHF 1.82

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$3.80 CHF 3.09

-43.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$4.10 CHF 3.34

-56.83%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.82

$7.38 CHF 6.00

-61.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$26.03 CHF 21.16

-64.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$29.67 CHF 24.13

-68.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$41.74 CHF 33.94

-69.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.38 CHF 2.75

-12.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.66 CHF 1.35

-4.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$2.65 CHF 2.15

-16.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.14

$5.45 CHF 4.43

-56.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.85

$1.90 CHF 1.55

4.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.62

$2.14 CHF 1.74

-7.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-47.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$1.17 CHF 0.95

3.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$11.17 CHF 9.08

-58.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$12.71 CHF 10.34

-17.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$2.81 CHF 2.29

-39.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$3.95 CHF 3.22

-29.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$4.36 CHF 3.55

-86.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

$108 CHF 88.2

-72.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$7.91 CHF 6.43

-33.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$5.71 CHF 4.65

-36.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$81.1 CHF 66.0

-92.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$2.29 CHF 1.86

-32.75%

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

$22.8K MX$387.3K

$35.6K CHF 29.0K

-35.97%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$39.8K CHF 32.3K

-35.10%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$231 CHF 187

-60.68%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$22.47 CHF 18.27

12.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$49.95 CHF 40.61

-36.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$84.6 CHF 68.8

-18.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

$50.1 CHF 40.74

-41.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$20.39 CHF 16.58

-76.16%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$1,257 CHF 1,022

-82.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$35.6K CHF 28.9K

-88.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$166 CHF 135

-71.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$57.7 CHF 46.95

-24.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$198 CHF 161

-59.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$155 CHF 126

-41.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,737 CHF 1,413

-37.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,942

$1,538 CHF 1,251

-73.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$2,583 CHF 2,100

-23.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$2,476 CHF 2,013

-48.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$17.9K CHF 14.6K

-77.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

$12.8K CHF 10.4K

-47.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.9

502.63%

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 Stabio: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,737 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $173 in Stabio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $604 – 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 168%, 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 $5,240 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $3,494 in Stabio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 265% 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 Stabio at $3,494. 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.