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 $3,519 per month in Altstätten vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,382 per month in Altstätten vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,245 per month in Altstätten vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 180% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Altstätten sits 163% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.29 CHF 24.49

$11.99 MX$210

152.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 116

$41.78 MX$733

243.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.49 CHF 14.95

$10.75 MX$189

72.00%

Cappuccino

$6.01 CHF 4.86

$3.50 MX$61.3

71.71%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.34

$1.45 MX$25.41

269.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 CHF 3.83

$0.88 MX$15.52

438.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.42 CHF 6.81

$2.95 MX$51.7

185.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CHF 6.03

$4.51 MX$79.1

65.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$1.43 MX$25.12

50.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 CHF 2.83

$1.84 MX$32.23

90.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 CHF 3.28

$1.57 MX$27.51

158.60%

Eggs

$7.56 CHF 6.12

$2.51 MX$44.06

201.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.70 CHF 23.21

$8.28 MX$145

246.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.14 CHF 27.60

$8.43 MX$148

304.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.05 CHF 38.84

$10.68 MX$187

349.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CHF 3.05

$2.61 MX$45.76

44.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.86

$1.44 MX$25.22

59.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 CHF 2.36

$1.96 MX$34.41

48.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 CHF 4.97

$2.09 MX$36.74

194.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.05

$1.85 MX$32.47

37.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$2.17 MX$38.02

11.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$1.03 MX$18.09

145.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 CHF 1.07

$1.07 MX$18.84

23.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.09

$4.10 MX$72.0

174.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.09 CHF 10.58

$10.17 MX$178

28.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$1.68 MX$29.38

44.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CHF 2.66

$2.53 MX$44.31

30.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.09

$0.51 MX$8.93

649.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 CHF 80.0

$26.04 MX$457

279.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 CHF 6.28

$3.23 MX$56.7

140.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.32

$2.41 MX$42.19

70.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.2 CHF 65.6

$3.23 MX$56.6

2412.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.80

$1.32 MX$23.17

68.94%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

33.70%

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

$41.3K CHF 33.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

74.39%

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

$262 CHF 212

$82.0 MX$1,439

219.00%

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

$49.27 CHF 39.83

$22.95 MX$403

114.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 CHF 48.14

$30.11 MX$528

97.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.1 CHF 72.0

$52.0 MX$912

71.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$22.57 CHF 18.25

$4.98 MX$87.3

353.21%

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

$2,867 CHF 2,318

$197 MX$3,463

1352.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.1K CHF 27.6K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

539.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 111

$35.60 MX$624

286.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 CHF 54.7

$40.33 MX$707

67.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 CHF 118

$78.8 MX$1,381

84.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 149

$88.9 MX$1,560

107.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 CHF 1,366

$947 MX$16.6K

78.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 CHF 1,190

$474 MX$8,314

210.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,877 CHF 2,326

$1,644 MX$28.8K

75.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,434 CHF 1,968

$1,211 MX$21.2K

101.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.7K CHF 12.7K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

288.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.7K CHF 10.3K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

96.12%

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 Altstätten: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,689 in Altstätten 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 $143 in Altstätten versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $662 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 180%, 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 $5,279 per month in Altstätten 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 $3,519 in Altstätten 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 280% 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 Altstätten at $3,519. 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.