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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,361 per month in Arbon vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,221 per month in Arbon vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,082 per month in Arbon vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arbon costs about 168% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arbon sits 152% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.53 CHF 24.68

$11.99 MX$210

154.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 CHF 112

$41.78 MX$733

232.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.34 CHF 14.02

$10.75 MX$189

61.30%

Cappuccino

$6.16 CHF 4.98

$3.50 MX$61.3

76.00%

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

$5.35 CHF 4.32

$1.45 MX$25.41

268.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 CHF 3.52

$0.88 MX$15.52

394.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 CHF 6.24

$2.95 MX$51.7

161.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 CHF 5.82

$4.51 MX$79.1

59.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.84

$1.43 MX$25.12

59.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 CHF 2.08

$1.84 MX$32.23

39.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.93

$1.57 MX$27.51

131.21%

Eggs

$7.91 CHF 6.39

$2.51 MX$44.06

215.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.75 CHF 22.43

$8.28 MX$145

235.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.72 CHF 26.46

$8.43 MX$148

288.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.18 CHF 33.29

$10.68 MX$187

285.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 CHF 2.58

$2.61 MX$45.76

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 CHF 1.48

$1.44 MX$25.22

27.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.02

$1.96 MX$34.41

27.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.14

$2.09 MX$36.74

204.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$1.85 MX$32.47

34.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.92

$2.17 MX$38.02

9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.09

$1.03 MX$18.09

150.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$1.07 MX$18.84

7.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 CHF 8.73

$4.10 MX$72.0

163.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 CHF 9.03

$10.17 MX$178

9.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.82

$1.68 MX$29.38

33.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.53 MX$44.31

-7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 CHF 3.15

$0.51 MX$8.93

662.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.4

$26.04 MX$457

272.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.71 CHF 5.42

$3.23 MX$56.7

107.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.43

$2.41 MX$42.19

75.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.8 CHF 63.7

$3.23 MX$56.6

2340.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.76

$1.32 MX$23.17

64.39%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

33.86%

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

$42.9K CHF 34.7K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

81.46%

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

$251 CHF 203

$82.0 MX$1,439

205.74%

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

$59.3 CHF 47.97

$22.95 MX$403

158.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 CHF 43.68

$30.11 MX$528

79.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 CHF 72.3

$52.0 MX$912

71.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$22.30 CHF 18.03

$4.98 MX$87.3

347.79%

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

$2,789 CHF 2,255

$197 MX$3,463

1312.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

702.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 111

$35.60 MX$624

284.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 CHF 52.1

$40.33 MX$707

59.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 106

$78.8 MX$1,381

65.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 CHF 130

$88.9 MX$1,560

80.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 CHF 1,376

$947 MX$16.6K

79.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 CHF 1,169

$474 MX$8,314

204.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 CHF 2,324

$1,644 MX$28.8K

74.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 CHF 1,971

$1,211 MX$21.2K

101.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.8K CHF 12.0K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

265.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,587

$6,470 MX$113.5K

64.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.3K CHF 9,150

$654 MX$11.5K

1630.67%

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 Arbon: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,702 in Arbon 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.

Salaries run about 1631% higher in Arbon, 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 $139 in Arbon versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $608 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,361 in Arbon, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 168% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,041 per month in Arbon 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 $3,361 in Arbon 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 273% 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 Arbon at $3,361. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $3,361 in Arbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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