Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,569 per month in St. Gallen vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,433 per month in St. Gallen vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,296 per month in St. Gallen vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St. Gallen costs about 175% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St. Gallen sits 166% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.20 CHF 23.81

$11.73 MX$203

157.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 117

$41.62 MX$720

257.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.33 CHF 14.45

$10.64 MX$184

72.27%

Cappuccino

$6.23 CHF 4.91

$3.52 MX$60.9

76.99%

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

$5.87 CHF 4.63

$1.51 MX$26.12

288.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 CHF 4.24

$0.97 MX$16.84

454.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 CHF 5.81

$2.95 MX$51.0

149.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 CHF 5.64

$4.45 MX$77.0

60.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$1.38 MX$23.93

61.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CHF 2.11

$1.89 MX$32.72

41.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 CHF 2.82

$1.64 MX$28.32

118.29%

Eggs

$8.15 CHF 6.42

$2.51 MX$43.34

224.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.21 CHF 21.45

$8.34 MX$144

226.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.59 CHF 25.69

$8.34 MX$144

290.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.95 CHF 32.29

$10.73 MX$186

281.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 CHF 2.47

$2.60 MX$45.04

20.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 CHF 1.46

$1.46 MX$25.20

26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 CHF 2.03

$1.90 MX$32.87

35.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.26 CHF 5.72

$2.08 MX$35.91

249.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CHF 2.02

$1.78 MX$30.71

43.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$2.19 MX$37.80

6.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CHF 1.84

$1.04 MX$17.99

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CHF 0.87

$1.08 MX$18.62

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 8.71

$4.08 MX$70.6

170.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.81 CHF 9.31

$10.32 MX$178

14.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CHF 1.70

$1.71 MX$29.61

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CHF 1.82

$2.58 MX$44.54

-10.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.32 CHF 3.41

$0.51 MX$8.81

747.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.6 CHF 63.5

$26.46 MX$458

204.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 CHF 5.41

$3.26 MX$56.4

110.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.20 CHF 3.31

$2.49 MX$43.09

68.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.0 CHF 62.3

$3.25 MX$56.2

2330.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 CHF 1.66

$1.31 MX$22.61

60.31%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

31.87%

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

$41.5K CHF 32.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

76.93%

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

$332 CHF 262

$82.9 MX$1,433

300.40%

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

$59.3 CHF 46.73

$22.22 MX$384

166.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 CHF 41.63

$29.34 MX$507

79.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.2 CHF 64.1

$51.6 MX$893

57.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$99.3 CHF 78.3

$18.32 MX$317

442.25%

Cinema Ticket

$30.30 CHF 23.89

$5.07 MX$87.6

497.63%

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

$2,792 CHF 2,202

$201 MX$3,473

1290.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K CHF 27.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

570.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$148 CHF 117

$36.92 MX$639

301.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 CHF 51.1

$39.79 MX$688

62.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 CHF 123

$78.5 MX$1,357

99.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$238 CHF 187

$87.1 MX$1,506

172.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,814 CHF 1,431

$973 MX$16.8K

86.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 CHF 1,203

$468 MX$8,090

226.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,733 CHF 2,154

$1,641 MX$28.4K

66.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 CHF 1,868

$1,221 MX$21.1K

94.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K CHF 8,511

$3,946 MX$68.3K

173.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,655 CHF 6,823

$6,498 MX$112.4K

33.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,138 CHF 5,628

$664 MX$11.5K

975.13%

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 St. Gallen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,814 in St. Gallen 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 975% higher in St. Gallen, 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 $149 in St. Gallen versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $611 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

St. Gallen vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Gallen is pricier by about 175%, 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 $5,354 per month in St. Gallen 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 $3,569 in St. Gallen 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 205% 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 St. Gallen at $3,569. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Gallen 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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