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 $2,810 per month in Aarau vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,602 per month in Aarau vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,394 per month in Aarau vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Aarau costs about 122% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aarau sits 105% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.46 CHF 24.31

$11.60 MX$200

153.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 CHF 88.0

$47.11 MX$812

126.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.30 CHF 15.11

$11.88 MX$205

54.04%

Cappuccino

$5.82 CHF 4.80

$3.98 MX$68.6

46.23%

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

$5.26 CHF 4.34

$1.43 MX$24.60

267.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 CHF 3.97

$0.82 MX$14.22

486.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CHF 4.93

$3.19 MX$55.0

87.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 CHF 5.65

$6.79 MX$117

0.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 CHF 1.71

$1.68 MX$28.89

23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 CHF 3.08

$2.20 MX$37.88

70.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 CHF 2.23

$1.71 MX$29.45

57.89%

Eggs

$7.50 CHF 6.19

$2.74 MX$47.26

173.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.99 CHF 25.58

$9.58 MX$165

223.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.82 CHF 24.62

$9.01 MX$155

230.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.05 CHF 34.71

$12.81 MX$221

228.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.43

$2.89 MX$49.81

2.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 CHF 1.43

$1.50 MX$25.81

15.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 2.01

$2.15 MX$37.03

13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 CHF 4.84

$2.26 MX$38.96

159.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 CHF 1.44

$1.98 MX$34.15

-12.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.69

$1.99 MX$34.30

3.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CHF 1.81

$1.23 MX$21.28

78.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CHF 0.98

$1.20 MX$20.63

-0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 9.11

$4.55 MX$78.5

142.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 CHF 8.66

$10.37 MX$179

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.15

$1.62 MX$27.91

60.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 CHF 2.44

$2.88 MX$49.67

2.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.22 CHF 4.31

$0.60 MX$10.35

770.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$148 CHF 122

$28.80 MX$497

414.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.18 CHF 5.92

$5.39 MX$92.9

33.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.45 CHF 2.85

$3.73 MX$64.3

-7.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 CHF 51.5

$5.77 MX$99.5

980.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.86

$1.54 MX$26.48

46.10%

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

$42.6K CHF 35.2K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

88.94%

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

$39.2K CHF 32.4K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

50.42%

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

$124 CHF 102

$91.4 MX$1,576

35.80%

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

$32.04 CHF 26.45

$25.20 MX$435

27.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 47.58

$31.24 MX$539

84.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.4 CHF 82.0

$67.2 MX$1,159

47.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$61.3 CHF 50.6

$29.11 MX$502

110.65%

Cinema Ticket

$21.82 CHF 18.01

$4.86 MX$83.8

348.97%

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

$3,184 CHF 2,628

$224 MX$3,856

1323.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K CHF 20.9K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

497.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 CHF 74.7

$47.10 MX$812

92.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.8 CHF 61.7

$44.29 MX$764

68.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 CHF 89.3

$80.1 MX$1,381

35.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 144

$92.7 MX$1,598

88.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 CHF 1,070

$1,063 MX$18.3K

22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 CHF 875

$390 MX$6,728

171.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,331 CHF 1,924

$2,149 MX$37.1K

8.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,114 CHF 1,745

$1,272 MX$21.9K

66.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K CHF 8,357

$4,001 MX$69.0K

153.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

88.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,890 CHF 5,687

$758 MX$13.1K

808.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

11.45

-79.83%

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

Last update for Aarau: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Aarau 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 809% 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 $107 in Aarau versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $604 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

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

Aarau costs about 122% 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 $4,215 per month in Aarau 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.

Public transport costs about 414% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,184 per month in Aarau and $224 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 $1,266, than in Aarau at $2,810. 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 $1,266 versus $2,810 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.