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 $3,806 per month in St. Gallen vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,351 per month in St. Gallen vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,896 per month in St. Gallen vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St. Gallen costs about 201% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St. Gallen sits 178% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.81 CHF 24.61

$11.60 MX$200

156.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 120

$47.11 MX$812

207.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.58 CHF 15.34

$11.88 MX$205

56.40%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 5.03

$3.98 MX$68.6

53.02%

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

$5.96 CHF 4.92

$1.43 MX$24.60

316.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 CHF 4.31

$0.82 MX$14.22

536.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.08 CHF 7.49

$3.19 MX$55.0

184.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 CHF 5.28

$6.79 MX$117

-5.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.90

$1.68 MX$28.89

36.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 CHF 2.56

$2.20 MX$37.88

41.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 CHF 3.18

$1.71 MX$29.45

125.15%

Eggs

$7.90 CHF 6.52

$2.74 MX$47.26

188.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.34 CHF 20.91

$9.58 MX$165

164.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.79 CHF 23.76

$9.01 MX$155

219.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.29 CHF 32.43

$12.81 MX$221

206.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 CHF 2.53

$2.89 MX$49.81

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CHF 1.33

$1.50 MX$25.81

7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.96

$2.15 MX$37.03

10.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.09 CHF 5.03

$2.26 MX$38.96

169.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 CHF 1.39

$1.98 MX$34.15

-15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.78

$1.99 MX$34.30

8.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 CHF 1.84

$1.23 MX$21.28

81.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 1.02

$1.20 MX$20.63

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.16 CHF 9.21

$4.55 MX$78.5

145.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.22 CHF 9.26

$10.37 MX$179

8.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.84

$1.62 MX$27.91

37.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 CHF 1.96

$2.88 MX$49.67

-17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.24 CHF 3.50

$0.60 MX$10.35

606.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 CHF 108

$28.80 MX$497

354.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 CHF 5.44

$5.39 MX$92.9

22.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.78 CHF 3.95

$3.73 MX$64.3

28.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.7 CHF 64.9

$5.77 MX$99.5

1263.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.83

$1.54 MX$26.48

44.16%

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

$35.8K CHF 29.6K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

58.87%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.9K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

53.09%

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

$314 CHF 259

$91.4 MX$1,576

244.00%

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

$37.99 CHF 31.36

$25.20 MX$435

50.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 CHF 46.19

$31.24 MX$539

79.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.9 CHF 66.8

$67.2 MX$1,159

20.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$98.0 CHF 80.9

$29.11 MX$502

236.79%

Cinema Ticket

$30.58 CHF 25.24

$4.86 MX$83.8

529.22%

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

$2,297 CHF 1,896

$224 MX$3,856

927.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.1K CHF 27.3K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

683.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$149 CHF 123

$47.10 MX$812

217.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.7 CHF 54.2

$44.29 MX$764

48.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 121

$80.1 MX$1,381

82.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 152

$92.7 MX$1,598

99.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 CHF 1,506

$1,063 MX$18.3K

71.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 CHF 1,415

$390 MX$6,728

339.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,906 CHF 2,398

$2,149 MX$37.1K

35.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 CHF 1,822

$1,272 MX$21.9K

73.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

212.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,126 CHF 7,532

$6,502 MX$112.1K

40.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,752 CHF 5,573

$758 MX$13.1K

790.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

11.45

-81.66%

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

Last update for St. Gallen: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,825 in St. Gallen versus $1,063 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 791% 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 $145 in St. Gallen versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $575 vs $276 – 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 201%, 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 $5,708 per month in St. Gallen and $1,899 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 $3,806 in St. Gallen and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 355% 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 $1,266, than in St. Gallen at $3,806. 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.