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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,526 per month in Altstätten vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,310 per month in Altstätten vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,094 per month in Altstätten vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 172% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Altstätten sits 163% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.23 CHF 24.62

$11.73 MX$203

166.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 114

$41.62 MX$720

246.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.53 CHF 14.61

$10.64 MX$184

74.15%

Cappuccino

$6.07 CHF 4.79

$3.52 MX$60.9

72.44%

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

$5.40 CHF 4.26

$1.51 MX$26.12

257.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 CHF 3.84

$0.97 MX$16.84

403.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 CHF 6.45

$2.95 MX$51.0

177.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 CHF 5.76

$4.45 MX$77.0

64.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.72

$1.38 MX$23.93

58.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 CHF 2.76

$1.89 MX$32.72

85.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 CHF 3.29

$1.64 MX$28.32

154.88%

Eggs

$7.61 CHF 6.00

$2.51 MX$43.34

203.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.87 CHF 22.76

$8.34 MX$144

246.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.01 CHF 26.03

$8.34 MX$144

295.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.87 CHF 37.74

$10.73 MX$186

346.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 2.99

$2.60 MX$45.04

46.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$1.46 MX$25.20

60.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.27

$1.90 MX$32.87

51.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.02

$2.08 MX$35.91

205.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$1.78 MX$30.71

38.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$2.19 MX$37.80

9.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 1.98

$1.04 MX$17.99

142.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 CHF 1.04

$1.08 MX$18.62

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 CHF 8.81

$4.08 MX$70.6

174.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 CHF 10.89

$10.32 MX$178

33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CHF 1.88

$1.71 MX$29.61

39.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.63

$2.58 MX$44.54

29.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.96 CHF 3.12

$0.51 MX$8.81

676.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.2 CHF 76.6

$26.46 MX$458

267.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 CHF 6.11

$3.26 MX$56.4

137.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 CHF 3.27

$2.49 MX$43.09

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.5 CHF 64.3

$3.25 MX$56.2

2407.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$1.31 MX$22.61

64.12%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

31.39%

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

$42.1K CHF 33.2K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

79.85%

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

$257 CHF 203

$82.9 MX$1,433

210.58%

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

$48.17 CHF 37.98

$22.22 MX$384

116.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CHF 46.55

$29.34 MX$507

101.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.1

$51.6 MX$893

72.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$22.54 CHF 17.77

$5.07 MX$87.6

344.58%

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

$2,895 CHF 2,282

$201 MX$3,473

1341.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.3K CHF 27.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

558.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 109

$36.92 MX$639

275.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.0 CHF 53.6

$39.79 MX$688

70.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 118

$78.5 MX$1,357

90.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 148

$87.1 MX$1,506

115.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 CHF 1,334

$973 MX$16.8K

73.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CHF 1,174

$468 MX$8,090

218.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,812 CHF 2,217

$1,641 MX$28.4K

71.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 CHF 1,951

$1,221 MX$21.1K

102.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

262.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.2K CHF 8,071

$6,498 MX$112.4K

57.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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 Altstätten: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,691 in Altstätten versus $973 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 Altstätten versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $660 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

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

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 172%, 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 $5,289 per month in Altstätten and $1,945 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 $3,526 in Altstätten and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 267% 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 $1,297, than in Altstätten at $3,526. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstätten 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.

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