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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,420 in Staefa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,329 in Staefa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,238 in Staefa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 61% cheaper than Staefa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Staefa is 150% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$30.60 CHF 24.46

-57.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$122 CHF 97.2

-61.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$16.98 CHF 13.57

-25.85%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$6.38 CHF 5.10

-37.30%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$5.65 CHF 4.52

-74.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$5.23 CHF 4.19

-84.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$8.71 CHF 6.96

-64.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$8.44 CHF 6.75

-19.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$2.11 CHF 1.69

-18.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$3.40 CHF 2.72

-34.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$3.99 CHF 3.19

-56.89%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$8.62 CHF 6.89

-68.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$27.49 CHF 21.98

-65.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$25.53 CHF 20.42

-65.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$55.3 CHF 44.25

-76.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$3.59 CHF 2.87

-12.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.81 CHF 2.25

-44.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$3.47 CHF 2.77

-38.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$4.59 CHF 3.67

-48.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$2.47 CHF 1.97

-18.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$2.21 CHF 1.77

-9.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$2.61 CHF 2.09

-52.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.30 CHF 1.04

-8.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$11.05 CHF 8.83

-57.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$13.51 CHF 10.80

-22.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$2.73 CHF 2.18

-42.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.80 CHF 2.24

4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$4.55 CHF 3.64

-87.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$104 CHF 83.3

-71.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$7.57 CHF 6.06

-29.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$4.81 CHF 3.84

-22.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$87.2 CHF 69.7

-93.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$2.29 CHF 1.83

-32.31%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$40.7K CHF 32.6K

-45.05%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$39.7K CHF 31.7K

-35.52%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$205 CHF 164

-56.39%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$32.31 CHF 25.83

-27.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$56.6 CHF 45.25

-43.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$95.9 CHF 76.7

-28.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$46.30 CHF 37.02

-36.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$22.51 CHF 18.00

-77.52%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$2,911 CHF 2,327

-92.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$42.9K CHF 34.3K

-89.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$142 CHF 113

-67.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$60.3 CHF 48.18

-26.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$147 CHF 118

-35.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$174 CHF 139

-46.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,789 CHF 1,431

-40.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$1,495 CHF 1,195

-73.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$2,907 CHF 2,325

-31.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$2,532 CHF 2,024

-48.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$16.7K CHF 13.3K

-75.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$12.1K CHF 9,713

-45.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

1.72

574.42%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Staefa: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,789 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $122 in Staefa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $638 – 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 157%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,130 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $3,420 in Staefa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 250% 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 $1,330, than in Staefa at $3,420. 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.