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 $3,015 per month in Aarau vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,757 per month in Aarau vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,499 per month in Aarau vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Aarau costs about 133% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aarau sits 126% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.94 CHF 23.75

$11.73 MX$202

155.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 85.3

$41.78 MX$719

157.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.24 CHF 15.26

$10.41 MX$179

84.82%

Cappuccino

$6.29 CHF 4.99

$3.61 MX$62.1

74.24%

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

$3.44 CHF 2.73

$1.46 MX$25.06

135.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.89

$0.97 MX$16.70

405.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 CHF 6.54

$2.92 MX$50.3

182.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 CHF 5.95

$4.62 MX$79.5

62.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.67

$1.43 MX$24.59

47.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 CHF 2.60

$1.90 MX$32.70

72.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.94

$1.57 MX$26.95

56.05%

Eggs

$6.88 CHF 5.46

$2.64 MX$45.34

160.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.84 CHF 22.87

$8.44 MX$145

241.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.31 CHF 28.80

$8.58 MX$148

323.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.34 CHF 35.16

$11.00 MX$189

303.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 CHF 2.21

$2.70 MX$46.51

3.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.66

$1.51 MX$25.92

39.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.18

$1.91 MX$32.93

43.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 CHF 4.66

$2.17 MX$37.37

170.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

$1.87 MX$32.25

20.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.63

$2.23 MX$38.43

-8.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CHF 2.08

$1.08 MX$18.60

142.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CHF 1.20

$1.07 MX$18.47

41.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.63 CHF 8.43

$4.16 MX$71.6

155.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CHF 8.43

$10.29 MX$177

3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.84

$1.68 MX$28.95

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$2.53 MX$43.59

-14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 CHF 3.33

$0.55 MX$9.53

663.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$147 CHF 117

$26.29 MX$452

460.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 CHF 7.01

$3.20 MX$55.0

176.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.61 CHF 4.45

$2.46 MX$42.37

128.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 67.9

$3.20 MX$55.0

2576.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$1.32 MX$22.72

68.94%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.6K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

36.39%

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

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

78.88%

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

$244 CHF 194

$81.4 MX$1,400

199.99%

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

$43.49 CHF 34.49

$22.41 MX$386

94.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CHF 46.58

$29.97 MX$516

95.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 CHF 52.3

$51.6 MX$887

27.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.72 CHF 33.09

$18.39 MX$316

126.86%

Cinema Ticket

$23.80 CHF 18.88

$5.16 MX$88.9

361.24%

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

$3,257 CHF 2,583

$202 MX$3,471

1514.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K CHF 19.6K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

364.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.3 CHF 73.2

$35.61 MX$613

159.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 CHF 42.52

$40.37 MX$695

32.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 CHF 87.3

$78.6 MX$1,353

39.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 138

$86.9 MX$1,495

100.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 CHF 1,006

$950 MX$16.3K

33.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 CHF 817

$478 MX$8,227

115.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,448 CHF 1,941

$1,621 MX$27.9K

51.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,111 CHF 1,674

$1,223 MX$21.0K

72.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K CHF 8,283

$4,009 MX$69.0K

160.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 9,976

$6,473 MX$111.4K

94.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,163 CHF 5,681

$673 MX$11.6K

964.43%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,269 in Aarau versus $950 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 964% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $636 vs $254 – 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 133% 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 $4,522 per month in Aarau and $1,941 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 460% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,257 per month in Aarau and $202 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 $1,294, than in Aarau at $3,015. 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 $1,294 versus $3,015 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.