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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,292 in Stabio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,216 in Stabio, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,141 in Stabio, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Stabio is 146% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$30.35 CHF 23.80

-61.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$165 CHF 130

-74.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$18.53 CHF 14.53

-43.87%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$4.34 CHF 3.40

-16.82%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$4.90 CHF 3.84

-70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$4.06 CHF 3.18

-77.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$7.25 CHF 5.69

-58.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$7.59 CHF 5.95

-41.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$2.28 CHF 1.79

-39.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$3.61 CHF 2.83

-49.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$4.66 CHF 3.66

-65.45%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$6.99 CHF 5.48

-63.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$27.48 CHF 21.55

-69.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$36.63 CHF 28.72

-76.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$44.71 CHF 35.05

-75.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$3.07 CHF 2.41

-11.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$2.01 CHF 1.58

-25.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$2.53 CHF 1.98

-22.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$7.45 CHF 5.84

-71.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$2.18 CHF 1.71

-14.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.26 CHF 1.77

-3.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$2.55 CHF 2.00

-58.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$1.25 CHF 0.98

-16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$10.55 CHF 8.27

-60.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$12.93 CHF 10.14

-20.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.54 CHF 1.99

-34.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$4.19 CHF 3.29

-40.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.95 CHF 3.10

-86.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$99.4 CHF 77.9

-73.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$6.60 CHF 5.18

-53.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$4.44 CHF 3.48

-44.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$62.4 CHF 48.93

-94.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$2.16 CHF 1.69

-41.67%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$40.5K CHF 31.8K

-25.55%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$37.6K CHF 29.4K

-37.58%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$202 CHF 158

-58.40%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$68.4 CHF 53.6

-67.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$54.2 CHF 42.46

-45.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$86.9 CHF 68.2

-39.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$18.26 CHF 14.32

-72.89%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$1,226 CHF 961

-83.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$34.6K CHF 27.2K

-84.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$107 CHF 84.2

-66.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$47.79 CHF 37.47

-16.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$136 CHF 106

-41.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$152 CHF 120

-43.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$1,708 CHF 1,339

-42.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$1,486 CHF 1,165

-68.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$2,847 CHF 2,232

-43.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$2,457 CHF 1,926

-50.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$13.8K CHF 10.8K

-70.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$12.1K CHF 9,451

-45.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Stabio: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $165 in Stabio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $663 – 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 161%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,938 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $3,292 in Stabio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 278% 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 $1,261, than in Stabio at $3,292. 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.