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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,518 in Thun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,320 in Thun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,122 in Thun, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 64% cheaper than Thun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Thun is 163% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$28.19 CHF 22.83

-57.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$122 CHF 98.6

-65.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$16.95 CHF 13.73

-36.58%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$6.01 CHF 4.87

-41.76%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$4.73 CHF 3.83

-69.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$4.77 CHF 3.86

-81.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$8.20 CHF 6.64

-64.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.80 CHF 6.32

-42.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.15 CHF 1.75

-33.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.29 CHF 2.67

-44.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.10 CHF 3.32

-61.71%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$7.16 CHF 5.80

-64.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$27.07 CHF 21.93

-69.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$28.91 CHF 23.42

-70.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$41.40 CHF 33.53

-74.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.55 CHF 2.88

-26.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-34.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.74 CHF 2.22

-28.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.45 CHF 5.22

-67.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.14 CHF 1.74

-13.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.54 CHF 2.06

-59.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.14 CHF 0.93

-6.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$11.30 CHF 9.15

-63.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.19 CHF 9.87

-16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.90 CHF 1.54

-11.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.35 CHF 1.90

7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.82 CHF 3.09

-86.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$97.6 CHF 79.0

-73.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$7.67 CHF 6.21

-57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.29 CHF 2.67

-26.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$66.3 CHF 53.7

-95.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.14 CHF 1.73

-38.32%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-25.74%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$41.6K CHF 33.7K

-43.07%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$376 CHF 304

-78.18%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$59.0 CHF 47.76

-61.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$57.9 CHF 46.86

-47.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$87.2 CHF 70.7

-40.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$24.20 CHF 19.60

-79.42%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$3,051 CHF 2,472

-93.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$34.7K CHF 28.1K

-84.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$153 CHF 124

-76.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$70.4 CHF 57.0

-42.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$175 CHF 141

-54.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$182 CHF 148

-51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,714 CHF 1,388

-44.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,486 CHF 1,203

-68.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,873 CHF 2,327

-42.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$2,419 CHF 1,960

-49.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$7,289 CHF 5,904

-11.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$5,799 CHF 4,697

-88.72%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Thun: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,714 in Thun. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 787% higher in Thun, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $122 in Thun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $597 – 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 Thun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thun is pricier by about 180%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,277 in Thun. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $3,518 in Thun. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 275% 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 $1,256, than in Thun at $3,518. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thun 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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.