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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,518 per month in Thun vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,320 per month in Thun vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,122 per month in Thun vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Thun costs about 180% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Thun sits 163% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.19 CHF 22.83

$11.99 MX$209

135.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 98.6

$41.78 MX$728

191.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.95 CHF 13.73

$10.75 MX$187

57.67%

Cappuccino

$6.01 CHF 4.87

$3.50 MX$60.9

71.71%

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

$4.73 CHF 3.83

$1.45 MX$25.22

226.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.86

$0.88 MX$15.41

442.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 CHF 6.64

$2.95 MX$51.3

177.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 CHF 6.32

$4.51 MX$78.6

72.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$1.43 MX$24.94

50.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.67

$1.84 MX$31.99

78.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 CHF 3.32

$1.57 MX$27.31

161.15%

Eggs

$7.16 CHF 5.80

$2.51 MX$43.74

185.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.07 CHF 21.93

$8.28 MX$144

226.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.91 CHF 23.42

$8.43 MX$147

242.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.40 CHF 33.53

$10.68 MX$186

287.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 CHF 2.88

$2.61 MX$45.43

36.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$1.44 MX$25.04

52.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.22

$1.96 MX$34.16

39.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.45 CHF 5.22

$2.09 MX$36.47

208.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.74

$1.85 MX$32.24

15.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.17 MX$37.74

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$1.03 MX$17.96

146.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.93

$1.07 MX$18.70

6.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 CHF 9.15

$4.10 MX$71.4

175.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 CHF 9.87

$10.17 MX$177

19.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CHF 1.54

$1.68 MX$29.17

13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$2.53 MX$43.98

-7.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.09

$0.51 MX$8.87

649.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 79.0

$26.04 MX$453

274.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.21

$3.23 MX$56.3

137.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 CHF 2.67

$2.41 MX$41.88

36.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.3 CHF 53.7

$3.23 MX$56.2

1953.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.73

$1.32 MX$23.00

62.12%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

34.66%

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

$41.6K CHF 33.7K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

75.64%

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

$376 CHF 304

$82.0 MX$1,428

358.20%

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

$59.0 CHF 47.76

$22.95 MX$400

156.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CHF 46.86

$30.11 MX$524

92.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 CHF 70.7

$52.0 MX$905

67.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$24.20 CHF 19.60

$4.98 MX$86.6

385.94%

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

$3,051 CHF 2,472

$197 MX$3,438

1445.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.7K CHF 28.1K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

549.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 124

$35.60 MX$620

330.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.4 CHF 57.0

$40.33 MX$702

74.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$175 CHF 141

$78.8 MX$1,371

121.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 CHF 148

$88.9 MX$1,549

104.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 CHF 1,388

$947 MX$16.5K

80.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,203

$474 MX$8,254

213.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,873 CHF 2,327

$1,644 MX$28.6K

74.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 CHF 1,960

$1,211 MX$21.1K

99.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,289 CHF 5,904

$6,470 MX$112.7K

12.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,799 CHF 4,697

$654 MX$11.4K

786.77%

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 Thun: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,714 in Thun versus $947 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 787% higher in Thun, 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 $122 in Thun versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $597 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

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

Yes – Thun is pricier by about 180%, 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 $5,277 per month in Thun and $1,884 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 $3,518 in Thun and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 275% 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 $1,256, than in Thun at $3,518. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thun 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, Thun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.