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 $2,806 per month in Sion vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,758 per month in Sion vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,709 per month in Sion vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sion costs about 123% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sion sits 110% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.60 CHF 24.74

$11.99 MX$210

155.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 98.8

$41.78 MX$733

192.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.01 CHF 14.56

$10.75 MX$189

67.53%

Cappuccino

$4.67 CHF 3.77

$3.50 MX$61.3

33.43%

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

$5.08 CHF 4.11

$1.45 MX$25.41

250.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 CHF 3.54

$0.88 MX$15.52

397.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.60 CHF 6.14

$2.95 MX$51.7

157.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CHF 5.80

$4.51 MX$79.1

58.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 CHF 1.50

$1.43 MX$25.12

29.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 CHF 3.09

$1.84 MX$32.23

107.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.04 CHF 4.07

$1.57 MX$27.51

221.02%

Eggs

$6.20 CHF 5.01

$2.51 MX$44.06

147.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.38 CHF 22.14

$8.28 MX$145

230.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.80 CHF 19.25

$8.43 MX$148

182.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.05 CHF 35.62

$10.68 MX$187

312.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 CHF 2.89

$2.61 MX$45.76

37.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 CHF 2.20

$1.44 MX$25.22

88.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.94

$1.96 MX$34.41

85.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.34 CHF 5.13

$2.09 MX$36.74

203.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.54

$1.85 MX$32.47

69.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.28

$2.17 MX$38.02

29.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.05

$1.03 MX$18.09

146.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CHF 1.01

$1.07 MX$18.84

16.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.00 CHF 8.89

$4.10 MX$72.0

168.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.59 CHF 10.99

$10.17 MX$178

33.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 CHF 1.47

$1.68 MX$29.38

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 CHF 1.52

$2.53 MX$44.31

-25.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.14 CHF 4.15

$0.51 MX$8.93

907.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$181 CHF 147

$26.04 MX$457

596.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.30 CHF 5.09

$3.23 MX$56.7

95.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.43

$2.41 MX$42.19

75.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.32 CHF 39.87

$3.23 MX$56.6

1426.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$1.32 MX$23.17

69.70%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.0K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

37.60%

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

$37.6K CHF 30.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

58.98%

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

$307 CHF 248

$82.0 MX$1,439

274.25%

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

$37.36 CHF 30.20

$22.95 MX$403

62.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CHF 47.71

$30.11 MX$528

95.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$140 CHF 113

$52.0 MX$912

170.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.6 CHF 44.91

$18.53 MX$325

199.78%

Cinema Ticket

$22.42 CHF 18.12

$4.98 MX$87.3

350.20%

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

$985 CHF 796

$197 MX$3,463

398.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.2K CHF 28.4K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

558.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$133 CHF 107

$35.60 MX$624

272.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 CHF 49.15

$40.33 MX$707

50.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 CHF 127

$78.8 MX$1,381

99.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$223 CHF 180

$88.9 MX$1,560

150.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 CHF 706

$947 MX$16.6K

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 CHF 601

$474 MX$8,314

56.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 CHF 1,386

$1,644 MX$28.8K

4.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,922 CHF 1,554

$1,211 MX$21.2K

58.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,432 CHF 6,009

$4,056 MX$71.1K

83.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,527 CHF 4,469

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-14.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,940 CHF 4,802

$654 MX$11.5K

808.36%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $873 in Sion versus $947 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 808% 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: $596 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 123%, 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 $4,210 per month in Sion and $1,884 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 $2,806 in Sion and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 597% 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 Sion at $2,806. 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.