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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,417 in Staefa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,243 in Staefa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,069 in Staefa, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Staefa is 156% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$31.06 CHF 25.00

-62.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$150 CHF 120

-72.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$18.30 CHF 14.73

-43.11%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$6.42 CHF 5.17

-43.77%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$5.78 CHF 4.65

-74.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$5.37 CHF 4.32

-81.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$7.63 CHF 6.14

-61.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$6.91 CHF 5.56

-33.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$2.18 CHF 1.75

-34.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$2.78 CHF 2.24

-31.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$3.53 CHF 2.84

-55.52%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$8.28 CHF 6.66

-68.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$27.52 CHF 22.15

-69.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$32.47 CHF 26.14

-73.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$49.79 CHF 40.07

-77.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$3.17 CHF 2.55

-14.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$2.88 CHF 2.32

-47.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$3.02 CHF 2.43

-36.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$5.03 CHF 4.05

-56.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$2.84 CHF 2.28

-34.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$2.37 CHF 1.91

-5.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$2.48 CHF 1.99

-56.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.25 CHF 1.00

-14.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$11.24 CHF 9.05

-62.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$14.09 CHF 11.34

-26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$2.64 CHF 2.12

-36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$2.39 CHF 1.93

5.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$4.03 CHF 3.24

-86.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

$97.5 CHF 78.5

-73.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$6.66 CHF 5.36

-51.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$4.29 CHF 3.45

-42.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$43.21 CHF 34.78

-92.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$2.26 CHF 1.82

-41.59%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$40.3K CHF 32.5K

-25.27%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$39.7K CHF 32.0K

-41.10%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$253 CHF 204

-67.87%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$35.36 CHF 28.46

-36.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$53.9 CHF 43.36

-44.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$88.9 CHF 71.5

-41.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$24.24 CHF 19.51

-78.71%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$2,859 CHF 2,301

-92.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$38.8K CHF 31.2K

-86.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$137 CHF 110

-74.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$61.6 CHF 49.62

-34.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$150 CHF 120

-47.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$199 CHF 160

-56.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$1,694 CHF 1,364

-43.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$1,481 CHF 1,192

-67.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$2,851 CHF 2,295

-43.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$2,440 CHF 1,964

-49.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$17.5K CHF 14.1K

-77.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$15.0K CHF 12.1K

-56.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.09

446.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Staefa: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,694 in Staefa. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $150 in Staefa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $646 – 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 Staefa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Staefa is pricier by about 164%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,126 in Staefa. 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $3,417 in Staefa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 271% 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 $1,294, than in Staefa at $3,417. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Staefa 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, Staefa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.