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 $3,284 per month in Sion vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,960 per month in Sion vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,636 per month in Sion vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sion costs about 154% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sion sits 139% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.27 CHF 24.61

$11.71 MX$199

158.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.3 CHF 75.8

$46.59 MX$791

100.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.37 CHF 16.56

$11.65 MX$198

74.85%

Cappuccino

$4.48 CHF 3.64

$4.09 MX$69.5

9.54%

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

$4.93 CHF 4.01

$1.37 MX$23.34

259.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 CHF 3.31

$0.83 MX$14.16

390.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 CHF 5.91

$3.35 MX$56.9

117.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 CHF 5.98

$6.91 MX$117

6.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CHF 1.62

$1.73 MX$29.33

15.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.70 CHF 3.01

$2.26 MX$38.39

63.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 CHF 3.49

$1.77 MX$30.05

142.94%

Eggs

$7.49 CHF 6.09

$2.73 MX$46.41

174.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.80 CHF 20.98

$9.18 MX$156

181.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.59 CHF 19.18

$8.92 MX$151

164.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.76 CHF 33.13

$12.60 MX$214

223.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 CHF 2.68

$3.02 MX$51.3

8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 CHF 1.35

$1.57 MX$26.68

5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.03

$2.13 MX$36.10

17.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 CHF 5.08

$2.26 MX$38.46

176.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 CHF 1.56

$2.00 MX$34.04

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$2.06 MX$35.06

4.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 CHF 1.98

$1.18 MX$20.04

106.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CHF 0.96

$1.20 MX$20.45

-1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.00 CHF 8.94

$4.63 MX$78.7

137.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 CHF 10.16

$10.69 MX$182

16.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 CHF 1.48

$1.62 MX$27.50

12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 CHF 1.52

$2.88 MX$48.93

-35.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.39 CHF 4.39

$0.57 MX$9.74

845.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$187 CHF 152

$29.83 MX$507

526.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 CHF 4.93

$5.45 MX$92.5

11.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.52 CHF 4.49

$3.70 MX$62.9

49.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.88 CHF 40.55

$5.98 MX$102

734.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.86

$1.55 MX$26.38

47.74%

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

$35.8K CHF 29.1K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

60.34%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.3K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

53.29%

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

$295 CHF 240

$89.1 MX$1,514

231.01%

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

$22.71 CHF 18.46

$25.04 MX$425

-9.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.88 CHF 40.55

$31.50 MX$535

58.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$142 CHF 116

$67.8 MX$1,151

110.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.6 CHF 45.23

$28.92 MX$491

92.36%

Cinema Ticket

$20.28 CHF 16.49

$5.05 MX$85.8

301.58%

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

$1,002 CHF 814

$225 MX$3,820

345.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.3K CHF 28.7K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

735.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$167 CHF 136

$47.44 MX$806

251.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 CHF 47.45

$44.98 MX$764

29.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 CHF 148

$82.0 MX$1,392

121.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 CHF 123

$92.1 MX$1,564

64.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CHF 1,024

$1,069 MX$18.2K

17.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CHF 1,044

$405 MX$6,884

216.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 CHF 1,874

$1,935 MX$32.9K

19.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,106 CHF 1,712

$1,301 MX$22.1K

61.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,652 CHF 6,221

$3,995 MX$67.9K

91.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,660 CHF 4,602

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-14.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,995 CHF 4,874

$749 MX$12.7K

700.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.15

11.45

-81.22%

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

Last update for Sion: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Sion versus $1,069 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 701% 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 $93.0 in Sion versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $561 vs $277 – 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 154%, 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 $4,925 per month in Sion and $1,940 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 $3,284 in Sion and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 527% 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 Sion at $3,284. 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.