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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,479 in Staefa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,384 in Staefa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,289 in Staefa, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Staefa is 160% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$30.73 CHF 24.31

-61.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$149 CHF 118

-71.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$18.08 CHF 14.30

-41.43%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$6.24 CHF 4.94

-41.99%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$5.69 CHF 4.50

-74.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$5.28 CHF 4.17

-82.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$7.63 CHF 6.03

-59.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.89 CHF 5.45

-35.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-33.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.79 CHF 2.21

-32.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.51 CHF 2.78

-53.56%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$8.19 CHF 6.47

-67.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$27.35 CHF 21.63

-69.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$32.28 CHF 25.53

-74.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$49.14 CHF 38.87

-77.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.18 CHF 2.51

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.90 CHF 2.29

-48.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.04 CHF 2.40

-34.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$5.23 CHF 4.13

-60.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.84 CHF 2.24

-36.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.36 CHF 1.87

-7.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.58 CHF 2.04

-58.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.21 CHF 0.95

-14.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$11.23 CHF 8.88

-64.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$15.07 CHF 11.92

-32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.64 CHF 2.09

-34.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.33 CHF 1.84

7.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.82 CHF 3.02

-86.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$96.7 CHF 76.5

-72.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$6.87 CHF 5.44

-54.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$4.11 CHF 3.25

-41.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$42.52 CHF 33.64

-92.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.22 CHF 1.76

-42.79%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$40.6K CHF 32.1K

-23.98%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$39.8K CHF 31.5K

-41.37%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$252 CHF 199

-67.47%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$36.07 CHF 28.53

-37.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$53.0 CHF 41.89

-44.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$89.1 CHF 70.5

-41.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$25.03 CHF 19.80

-80.14%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$2,854 CHF 2,257

-93.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

-86.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$139 CHF 110

-73.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$61.6 CHF 48.71

-34.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$146 CHF 115

-45.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$200 CHF 158

-55.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,720 CHF 1,361

-44.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,496 CHF 1,183

-68.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,807 CHF 2,220

-43.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$2,450 CHF 1,938

-50.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$13.0K CHF 10.3K

-69.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$10.5K CHF 8,339

-38.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Staefa: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,720 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $149 in Staefa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $645 – 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 170%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,218 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $3,479 in Staefa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 259% 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 $1,287, than in Staefa at $3,479. 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.