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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,865 per month in St. Moritz vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,642 per month in St. Moritz vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,420 per month in St. Moritz vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St. Moritz costs about 200% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St. Moritz sits 189% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.31 CHF 24.77

$11.94 MX$209

162.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 118

$42.75 MX$748

250.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.03 CHF 11.89

$10.59 MX$185

41.93%

Cappuccino

$6.14 CHF 4.86

$3.62 MX$63.4

69.61%

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

$5.46 CHF 4.32

$1.47 MX$25.69

271.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 CHF 3.76

$0.94 MX$16.51

406.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.02 CHF 7.92

$3.09 MX$54.1

224.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 CHF 4.77

$4.46 MX$78.0

35.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 CHF 1.05

$1.43 MX$24.94

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 CHF 2.72

$1.88 MX$32.97

82.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 CHF 3.25

$1.63 MX$28.50

152.15%

Eggs

$7.45 CHF 5.90

$2.64 MX$46.26

182.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.79 CHF 23.56

$8.21 MX$144

262.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.95 CHF 26.85

$8.29 MX$145

309.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 39.84

$11.10 MX$194

353.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CHF 3.23

$2.65 MX$46.40

54.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 CHF 2.31

$1.50 MX$26.26

94.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 CHF 2.49

$1.99 MX$34.79

58.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 CHF 3.99

$2.08 MX$36.33

142.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.23

$1.79 MX$31.29

57.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.82

$2.18 MX$38.09

5.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$1.08 MX$18.84

132.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CHF 1.37

$1.04 MX$18.15

66.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 CHF 8.60

$3.97 MX$69.5

173.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 CHF 11.98

$10.20 MX$179

48.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.18

$1.73 MX$30.22

58.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.54

$2.50 MX$43.71

28.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 CHF 3.03

$0.52 MX$9.07

636.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.2 CHF 74.5

$26.97 MX$472

249.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 CHF 6.01

$3.14 MX$55.0

142.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.58 CHF 3.63

$2.40 MX$42.04

90.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.6 CHF 68.5

$3.09 MX$54.0

2702.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$1.27 MX$22.28

76.38%

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

$40.3K CHF 31.9K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

30.46%

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

$39.4K CHF 31.2K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

69.20%

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

$99.5 CHF 78.7

$82.0 MX$1,435

21.27%

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

$36.21 CHF 28.64

$22.45 MX$393

61.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 CHF 47.30

$29.66 MX$519

101.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 CHF 57.7

$51.9 MX$908

40.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$19.20 CHF 15.19

$4.97 MX$87.0

286.32%

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

$3,465 CHF 2,741

$198 MX$3,462

1651.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

651.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 109

$36.34 MX$636

277.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 CHF 48.68

$40.05 MX$701

53.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 118

$79.9 MX$1,398

87.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 CHF 162

$88.9 MX$1,555

130.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CHF 1,351

$963 MX$16.9K

77.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,982 CHF 1,568

$465 MX$8,133

326.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 CHF 2,236

$1,596 MX$27.9K

77.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,665 CHF 3,690

$1,209 MX$21.2K

285.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.8K CHF 10.1K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

98.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,994 CHF 3,950

$720 MX$12.6K

593.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.8

11.42

-84.24%

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

Last update for St. Moritz: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,709 in St. Moritz versus $963 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 593% higher in St. Moritz, 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 $150 in St. Moritz versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $674 vs $251 – 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. Moritz vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Moritz is pricier by about 200%, 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 $5,797 per month in St. Moritz and $1,930 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 $3,865 in St. Moritz and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 249% 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 $1,287, than in St. Moritz at $3,865. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Moritz 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, St. Moritz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.