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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,489 per month in Airolo vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,283 per month in Airolo vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,077 per month in Airolo vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Airolo costs about 178% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Airolo sits 161% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.89 CHF 24.97

$11.99 MX$210

157.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 116

$41.78 MX$733

244.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.37 CHF 14.85

$10.75 MX$189

70.88%

Cappuccino

$5.94 CHF 4.80

$3.50 MX$61.3

69.71%

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

$5.37 CHF 4.34

$1.45 MX$25.41

270.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 CHF 3.97

$0.88 MX$15.52

457.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 CHF 6.60

$2.95 MX$51.7

176.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CHF 5.89

$4.51 MX$79.1

61.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.75

$1.43 MX$25.12

51.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 CHF 2.93

$1.84 MX$32.23

97.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 CHF 3.44

$1.57 MX$27.51

170.70%

Eggs

$7.43 CHF 6.01

$2.51 MX$44.06

196.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.38 CHF 23.75

$8.28 MX$145

254.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.29 CHF 26.92

$8.43 MX$148

294.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.53 CHF 39.24

$10.68 MX$187

354.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 CHF 3.09

$2.61 MX$45.76

46.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.86

$1.44 MX$25.22

59.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.33

$1.96 MX$34.41

46.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.24 CHF 5.05

$2.09 MX$36.74

198.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.98

$1.85 MX$32.47

32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$2.17 MX$38.02

11.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$1.03 MX$18.09

153.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.07

$1.07 MX$18.84

24.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.90

$4.10 MX$72.0

168.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 CHF 10.64

$10.17 MX$178

29.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$1.68 MX$29.38

40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 CHF 2.71

$2.53 MX$44.31

32.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 CHF 3.18

$0.51 MX$8.93

670.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.5 CHF 80.4

$26.04 MX$457

281.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 CHF 6.23

$3.23 MX$56.7

138.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.22 CHF 3.41

$2.41 MX$42.19

75.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.1 CHF 65.6

$3.23 MX$56.6

2411.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$1.32 MX$23.17

62.88%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

33.92%

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

$41.9K CHF 33.9K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

76.94%

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

$262 CHF 212

$82.0 MX$1,439

219.78%

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

$47.75 CHF 38.61

$22.95 MX$403

108.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 CHF 47.37

$30.11 MX$528

94.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 CHF 71.1

$52.0 MX$912

69.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$23.15 CHF 18.72

$4.98 MX$87.3

364.86%

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

$2,930 CHF 2,369

$197 MX$3,463

1384.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.0K CHF 28.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

555.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 110

$35.60 MX$624

283.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.7 CHF 54.8

$40.33 MX$707

67.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 120

$78.8 MX$1,381

89.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 150

$88.9 MX$1,560

108.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 CHF 1,364

$947 MX$16.6K

78.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 CHF 1,176

$474 MX$8,314

206.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CHF 2,250

$1,644 MX$28.8K

69.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,500 CHF 2,021

$1,211 MX$21.2K

106.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.3K CHF 12.4K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

277.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,651

$6,470 MX$113.5K

84.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

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 Airolo: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,688 in Airolo 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $144 in Airolo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $664 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

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

Airolo costs about 178% 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 $5,233 per month in Airolo 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 $3,489 in Airolo 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 282% 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 Airolo at $3,489. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Airolo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $3,489 in Airolo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Airolo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.