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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,573 in Thun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,324 in Thun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,074 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 160% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$29.64 CHF 23.93

-60.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$126 CHF 102

-63.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$16.30 CHF 13.17

-28.53%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$6.70 CHF 5.41

-38.96%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$6.46 CHF 5.21

-78.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$6.26 CHF 5.05

-86.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$9.23 CHF 7.46

-63.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$8.29 CHF 6.70

-16.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-25.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$3.01 CHF 2.43

-24.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$3.40 CHF 2.74

-47.94%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$8.04 CHF 6.50

-66.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$25.49 CHF 20.58

-63.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$28.69 CHF 23.16

-68.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$39.66 CHF 32.02

-68.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.65 CHF 2.95

-17.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.35 CHF 1.90

-33.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$2.97 CHF 2.40

-28.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$4.79 CHF 3.87

-52.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.56 CHF 1.26

28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$2.07 CHF 1.68

-0.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-49.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.36 CHF 1.10

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$11.81 CHF 9.53

-60.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$12.56 CHF 10.14

-14.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-27.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.92 CHF 2.36

-1.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$4.39 CHF 3.54

-87.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$104 CHF 83.7

-71.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$8.04 CHF 6.49

-32.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$4.60 CHF 3.72

-19.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$86.6 CHF 69.9

-93.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$2.39 CHF 1.93

-35.15%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$44.3K CHF 35.8K

-49.64%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-36.07%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$306 CHF 247

-70.85%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$53.9 CHF 43.55

-53.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$65.1 CHF 52.6

-51.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$95.3 CHF 76.9

-28.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$46.55 CHF 37.59

-37.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$23.69 CHF 19.13

-78.68%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$3,089 CHF 2,494

-92.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$31.9K CHF 25.7K

-86.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$153 CHF 123

-68.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$82.9 CHF 67.0

-45.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$166 CHF 134

-50.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$202 CHF 163

-54.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,816 CHF 1,466

-41.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$1,512 CHF 1,221

-73.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$2,925 CHF 2,362

-33.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$2,496 CHF 2,016

-47.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

-75.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

-47.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$6,082 CHF 4,911

-87.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.43

371.19%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Thun: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,816 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 712% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 in Thun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $583 – 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 176%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,360 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $3,573 in Thun. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 247% 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 $1,293, than in Thun at $3,573. 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.