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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,538 per month in Glattfelden vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,319 per month in Glattfelden vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,100 per month in Glattfelden vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Glattfelden sits 159% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Glattfelden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.91 CHF 25.40
$11.60 MX$200
166.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$125 CHF 103
$47.11 MX$811
165.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.88 CHF 15.51
$11.88 MX$205
58.92%
Cappuccino
$6.21 CHF 5.10
$3.98 MX$68.5
56.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.33 CHF 4.38
$1.43 MX$24.57
272.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.01 CHF 4.12
$0.82 MX$14.20
510.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.29 CHF 7.64
$3.19 MX$54.9
191.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.49 CHF 6.16
$6.79 MX$117
10.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Glattfelden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 CHF 1.85
$1.68 MX$28.85
34.52%
White Bread (500g)
$3.83 CHF 3.14
$2.20 MX$37.83
74.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.73 CHF 3.07
$1.71 MX$29.41
118.13%
Eggs
$7.79 CHF 6.40
$2.74 MX$47.20
184.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$26.87 CHF 22.08
$9.58 MX$165
180.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$28.33 CHF 23.28
$9.01 MX$155
214.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$40.95 CHF 33.65
$12.81 MX$221
219.67%
Apples (1kg)
$3.54 CHF 2.91
$2.89 MX$49.74
22.49%
Banana (1kg)
$2.12 CHF 1.74
$1.50 MX$25.78
41.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.71 CHF 2.22
$2.15 MX$36.98
26.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.98 CHF 4.09
$2.26 MX$38.91
120.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 CHF 1.51
$1.98 MX$34.10
-7.58%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 CHF 1.77
$1.99 MX$34.26
8.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.29 CHF 1.88
$1.23 MX$21.25
86.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 CHF 1.07
$1.20 MX$20.60
8.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.15 CHF 9.17
$4.55 MX$78.3
145.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.34 CHF 10.97
$10.37 MX$179
28.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 CHF 2.30
$1.62 MX$27.88
72.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CHF 2.54
$2.88 MX$49.60
7.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Glattfelden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.57 CHF 3.76
$0.60 MX$10.34
661.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$102 CHF 84.1
$28.80 MX$496
255.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.99 CHF 6.56
$5.39 MX$92.8
48.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.62 CHF 3.80
$3.73 MX$64.2
23.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$79.0 CHF 65.0
$5.77 MX$99.3
1269.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 CHF 1.80
$1.54 MX$26.45
42.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.6K CHF 35.0K
$22.5K MX$388.3K
89.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.5K CHF 33.3K
$26.1K MX$448.7K
55.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Glattfelden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$285 CHF 234
$91.4 MX$1,573
211.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.27 CHF 27.34
$25.20 MX$434
32.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.8 CHF 48.30
$31.24 MX$538
88.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Glattfelden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$92.1 CHF 75.7
$67.2 MX$1,157
37.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.24 CHF 38.82
$29.11 MX$501
62.28%
Cinema Ticket
$23.81 CHF 19.56
$4.86 MX$83.7
389.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Glattfelden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,743 CHF 2,254
$224 MX$3,851
1126.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$34.8K CHF 28.6K
$4,229 MX$72.8K
723.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Glattfelden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$146 CHF 120
$47.10 MX$811
209.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.6 CHF 49.80
$44.29 MX$763
36.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$165 CHF 135
$80.1 MX$1,379
105.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$187 CHF 154
$92.7 MX$1,596
102.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Glattfelden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,732 CHF 1,423
$1,063 MX$18.3K
62.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,469 CHF 1,207
$390 MX$6,719
276.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,903 CHF 2,386
$2,149 MX$37.0K
35.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,506 CHF 2,060
$1,272 MX$21.9K
97.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$16.7K CHF 13.7K
$4,001 MX$68.9K
316.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$12.3K CHF 10.1K
$6,502 MX$112.0K
88.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Glattfelden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,662 CHF 4,653
$758 MX$13.1K
646.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.07
11.45
-81.92%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Glattfelden: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,732 in Glattfelden versus $1,063 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 647% higher in Glattfelden, 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 $125 in Glattfelden versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $600 vs $276 – 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
Glattfelden vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Glattfelden or Playa del Carmen?
Glattfelden costs about 180% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Glattfelden and in Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,307 per month in Glattfelden and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Glattfelden or Playa del Carmen?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Glattfelden and in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $125 in Glattfelden and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Glattfelden compared to Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,538 in Glattfelden and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Glattfelden or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Glattfelden at $3,538. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glattfelden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Glattfelden or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $3,538 in Glattfelden. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Glattfelden compared to Playa del Carmen?
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.
Should I move to Glattfelden or to Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Glattfelden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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