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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,809 per month in Sion vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,764 per month in Sion vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,719 per month in Sion vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sion costs about 117% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sion sits 110% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.49 CHF 24.04

$11.73 MX$203

159.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 96.0

$41.62 MX$720

192.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.18 CHF 14.33

$10.64 MX$184

70.86%

Cappuccino

$4.59 CHF 3.62

$3.52 MX$60.9

30.40%

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

$5.12 CHF 4.03

$1.51 MX$26.12

239.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CHF 3.33

$0.97 MX$16.84

336.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 CHF 5.65

$2.95 MX$51.0

143.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CHF 5.88

$4.45 MX$77.0

67.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 CHF 1.44

$1.38 MX$23.93

32.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.86 CHF 3.04

$1.89 MX$32.72

104.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.92 CHF 3.88

$1.64 MX$28.32

200.00%

Eggs

$5.96 CHF 4.70

$2.51 MX$43.34

137.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.37 CHF 22.37

$8.34 MX$144

240.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.36 CHF 18.41

$8.34 MX$144

180.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.20 CHF 34.85

$10.73 MX$186

311.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 CHF 2.68

$2.60 MX$45.04

30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.16

$1.46 MX$25.20

87.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.83

$1.90 MX$32.87

88.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.13 CHF 4.84

$2.08 MX$35.91

194.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 CHF 2.48

$1.78 MX$30.71

76.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CHF 2.35

$2.19 MX$37.80

36.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.01

$1.04 MX$17.99

144.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CHF 0.95

$1.08 MX$18.62

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.20 CHF 8.83

$4.08 MX$70.6

174.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 CHF 11.09

$10.32 MX$178

36.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CHF 1.47

$1.71 MX$29.61

9.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 CHF 1.46

$2.58 MX$44.54

-27.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.28 CHF 4.16

$0.51 MX$8.81

935.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$187 CHF 147

$26.46 MX$458

605.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 CHF 4.89

$3.26 MX$56.4

90.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.26 CHF 3.36

$2.49 MX$43.09

71.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.76 CHF 39.23

$3.25 MX$56.2

1431.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.75

$1.31 MX$22.61

69.47%

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

$40.0K CHF 31.5K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

32.09%

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

$38.4K CHF 30.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

63.92%

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

$309 CHF 243

$82.9 MX$1,433

272.35%

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

$37.41 CHF 29.50

$22.22 MX$384

68.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CHF 47.62

$29.34 MX$507

105.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$138 CHF 109

$51.6 MX$893

166.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.6 CHF 43.07

$18.32 MX$317

198.20%

Cinema Ticket

$22.52 CHF 17.76

$5.07 MX$87.6

344.18%

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

$994 CHF 783

$201 MX$3,473

394.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.0K CHF 27.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

571.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$135 CHF 107

$36.92 MX$639

266.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 CHF 48.34

$39.79 MX$688

54.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$161 CHF 127

$78.5 MX$1,357

104.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$225 CHF 177

$87.1 MX$1,506

158.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 CHF 676

$973 MX$16.8K

-11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 CHF 586

$468 MX$8,090

58.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 CHF 1,341

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 CHF 1,488

$1,221 MX$21.1K

54.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,796 CHF 6,147

$3,946 MX$68.3K

97.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,773 CHF 4,551

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-11.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,200 CHF 4,888

$664 MX$11.5K

833.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

11.42

-78.11%

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

Last update for Sion: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $857 in Sion versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 834% higher in Sion, 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 $122 in Sion versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $595 vs $249 – 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

Sion vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sion is pricier by about 117%, 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 $4,214 per month in Sion and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $2,809 in Sion and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 605% 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 $1,297, than in Sion at $2,809. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sion 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, Sion makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.