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 $3,362 per month in Arbon vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,166 per month in Arbon vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,970 per month in Arbon vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arbon costs about 159% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arbon sits 151% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.71 CHF 24.21

$11.73 MX$203

161.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$140 CHF 110

$41.62 MX$720

236.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.11 CHF 13.49

$10.64 MX$184

60.81%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 4.99

$3.52 MX$60.9

79.83%

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

$5.27 CHF 4.15

$1.51 MX$26.12

249.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 CHF 3.41

$0.97 MX$16.84

346.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.71 CHF 6.08

$2.95 MX$51.0

161.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 CHF 5.92

$4.45 MX$77.0

68.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$1.38 MX$23.93

57.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CHF 2.10

$1.89 MX$32.72

40.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$1.64 MX$28.32

121.95%

Eggs

$7.87 CHF 6.20

$2.51 MX$43.34

213.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.41 CHF 21.61

$8.34 MX$144

228.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.88 CHF 25.14

$8.34 MX$144

282.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.41 CHF 31.86

$10.73 MX$186

276.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.47

$2.60 MX$45.04

20.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 CHF 1.45

$1.46 MX$25.20

26.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 CHF 2.01

$1.90 MX$32.87

34.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.51 CHF 5.14

$2.08 MX$35.91

212.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$1.78 MX$30.71

40.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 CHF 1.80

$2.19 MX$37.80

4.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.01

$1.04 MX$17.99

145.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.90

$1.08 MX$18.62

6.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 CHF 8.51

$4.08 MX$70.6

164.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.87 CHF 9.36

$10.32 MX$178

15.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.77

$1.71 MX$29.61

31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.58 MX$44.54

-11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 CHF 3.07

$0.51 MX$8.81

664.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 79.2

$26.46 MX$458

279.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 CHF 5.32

$3.26 MX$56.4

106.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.26 CHF 3.36

$2.49 MX$43.09

71.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.5 CHF 63.5

$3.25 MX$56.2

2376.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.66

$1.31 MX$22.61

61.07%

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

$40.5K CHF 31.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

33.60%

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

$43.1K CHF 34.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

83.84%

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

$248 CHF 196

$82.9 MX$1,433

199.86%

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

$59.2 CHF 46.67

$22.22 MX$384

166.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CHF 42.31

$29.34 MX$507

82.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 CHF 69.1

$51.6 MX$893

69.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$22.44 CHF 17.69

$5.07 MX$87.6

342.60%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,242

$201 MX$3,473

1315.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.5K CHF 34.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

734.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$36.92 MX$639

279.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.8 CHF 51.9

$39.79 MX$688

65.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 CHF 105

$78.5 MX$1,357

69.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 CHF 127

$87.1 MX$1,506

85.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CHF 1,327

$973 MX$16.8K

73.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 CHF 1,176

$468 MX$8,090

219.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,865 CHF 2,259

$1,641 MX$28.4K

74.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,423 CHF 1,910

$1,221 MX$21.1K

98.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.2K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

260.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K CHF 9,140

$6,498 MX$112.4K

78.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.4K CHF 8,986

$664 MX$11.5K

1616.66%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,683 in Arbon 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.

Salaries run about 1617% 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 $140 in Arbon versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $602 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: $3,362 in Arbon, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 159% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,043 per month in Arbon 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 $3,362 in Arbon 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 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 $1,297, than in Arbon at $3,362. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $3,362 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.