Cost of Living Comparison Between Staefa and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Staefa and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,479 per month in Staefa vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,384 per month in Staefa vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,289 per month in Staefa vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Staefa costs about 170% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Staefa sits 160% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.73 CHF 24.31

$11.94 MX$209

157.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$42.75 MX$748

247.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.08 CHF 14.30

$10.59 MX$185

70.73%

Cappuccino

$6.24 CHF 4.94

$3.62 MX$63.4

72.38%

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

$5.69 CHF 4.50

$1.47 MX$25.69

287.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 CHF 4.17

$0.94 MX$16.51

461.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.63 CHF 6.03

$3.09 MX$54.1

146.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 CHF 5.45

$4.46 MX$78.0

54.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$1.43 MX$24.94

50.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 CHF 2.21

$1.88 MX$32.97

48.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CHF 2.78

$1.63 MX$28.50

115.34%

Eggs

$8.19 CHF 6.47

$2.64 MX$46.26

210.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.35 CHF 21.63

$8.21 MX$144

233.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.28 CHF 25.53

$8.29 MX$145

289.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.14 CHF 38.87

$11.10 MX$194

342.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.51

$2.65 MX$46.40

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.29

$1.50 MX$26.26

93.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 CHF 2.40

$1.99 MX$34.79

52.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.23 CHF 4.13

$2.08 MX$36.33

151.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 CHF 2.24

$1.79 MX$31.29

58.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.87

$2.18 MX$38.09

8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.04

$1.08 MX$18.84

138.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CHF 0.95

$1.04 MX$18.15

16.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 CHF 8.88

$3.97 MX$69.5

182.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 CHF 11.92

$10.20 MX$179

47.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CHF 2.09

$1.73 MX$30.22

52.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

$2.50 MX$43.71

-6.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.02

$0.52 MX$9.07

634.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.7 CHF 76.5

$26.97 MX$472

258.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 CHF 5.44

$3.14 MX$55.0

118.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.25

$2.40 MX$42.04

71.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.52 CHF 33.64

$3.09 MX$54.0

1276.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.76

$1.27 MX$22.28

74.80%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.1K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

31.55%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.5K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

70.56%

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

$252 CHF 199

$82.0 MX$1,435

207.45%

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

$36.07 CHF 28.53

$22.45 MX$393

60.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 CHF 41.89

$29.66 MX$519

78.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.1 CHF 70.5

$51.9 MX$908

71.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$25.03 CHF 19.80

$4.97 MX$87.0

403.62%

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

$2,854 CHF 2,257

$198 MX$3,462

1342.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

651.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 110

$36.34 MX$636

281.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 CHF 48.71

$40.05 MX$701

53.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 115

$79.9 MX$1,398

82.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 158

$88.9 MX$1,555

125.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 CHF 1,361

$963 MX$16.9K

78.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 CHF 1,183

$465 MX$8,133

221.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,807 CHF 2,220

$1,596 MX$27.9K

75.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,450 CHF 1,938

$1,209 MX$21.2K

102.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K CHF 10.3K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

229.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K CHF 8,339

$6,448 MX$112.8K

63.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

11.42

-81.70%

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

Last update for Staefa: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,720 in Staefa 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $149 in Staefa versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $645 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

Staefa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Staefa is pricier by about 170%, 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 $5,218 per month in Staefa 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 $3,479 in Staefa 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 259% 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 Staefa at $3,479. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Staefa 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, Staefa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.