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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,954 per month in Aarau vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,759 per month in Aarau vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,564 per month in Aarau vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Aarau costs about 130% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aarau sits 121% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.47 CHF 23.31

$11.94 MX$209

146.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 85.8

$42.75 MX$748

153.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.80 CHF 14.87

$10.59 MX$185

77.53%

Cappuccino

$6.43 CHF 5.09

$3.62 MX$63.4

77.62%

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

$3.34 CHF 2.64

$1.47 MX$25.69

127.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 CHF 3.96

$0.94 MX$16.51

431.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 CHF 6.18

$3.09 MX$54.1

153.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 CHF 6.02

$4.46 MX$78.0

70.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CHF 1.65

$1.43 MX$24.94

46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 CHF 2.59

$1.88 MX$32.97

73.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.00

$1.63 MX$28.50

55.21%

Eggs

$6.71 CHF 5.31

$2.64 MX$46.26

154.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.39 CHF 23.24

$8.21 MX$144

257.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.49 CHF 28.86

$8.29 MX$145

340.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.90 CHF 35.51

$11.10 MX$194

304.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 CHF 2.25

$2.65 MX$46.40

7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$1.50 MX$26.26

44.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 CHF 2.26

$1.99 MX$34.79

43.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 CHF 4.47

$2.08 MX$36.33

171.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$1.79 MX$31.29

26.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.64

$2.18 MX$38.09

-4.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.03

$1.08 MX$18.84

137.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CHF 1.16

$1.04 MX$18.15

41.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.54 CHF 8.34

$3.97 MX$69.5

165.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.93 CHF 8.65

$10.20 MX$179

7.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.85

$1.73 MX$30.22

34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$2.50 MX$43.71

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.43 CHF 3.50

$0.52 MX$9.07

751.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$148 CHF 117

$26.97 MX$472

449.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 CHF 6.97

$3.14 MX$55.0

180.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.61 CHF 4.44

$2.40 MX$42.04

133.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.1 CHF 68.9

$3.09 MX$54.0

2717.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$1.27 MX$22.28

73.23%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.2K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

31.88%

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

$41.5K CHF 32.8K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

78.08%

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

$251 CHF 199

$82.0 MX$1,435

206.28%

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

$42.76 CHF 33.82

$22.45 MX$393

90.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CHF 46.00

$29.66 MX$519

96.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 CHF 54.0

$51.9 MX$908

31.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.50 CHF 33.61

$18.67 MX$327

127.64%

Cinema Ticket

$23.58 CHF 18.65

$4.97 MX$87.0

374.45%

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

$3,247 CHF 2,569

$198 MX$3,462

1541.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K CHF 19.5K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

368.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 CHF 72.7

$36.34 MX$636

152.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 CHF 42.51

$40.05 MX$701

34.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CHF 86.0

$79.9 MX$1,398

36.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 137

$88.9 MX$1,555

95.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 CHF 1,042

$963 MX$16.9K

36.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 CHF 827

$465 MX$8,133

124.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 CHF 1,968

$1,596 MX$27.9K

55.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,146 CHF 1,697

$1,209 MX$21.2K

77.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K CHF 8,479

$3,942 MX$69.0K

171.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 9,930

$6,448 MX$112.8K

94.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,279 CHF 5,758

$720 MX$12.6K

910.39%

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 Aarau: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,318 in Aarau 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 910% higher in Aarau, 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 $108 in Aarau versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $640 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

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

Aarau costs about 130% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,431 per month in Aarau 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.

Public transport costs about 450% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,247 per month in Aarau and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Aarau at $2,954. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aarau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $2,954 in Aarau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Aarau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.