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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,470 in Interlaken versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,316 in Interlaken versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,162 in Interlaken versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Interlaken is roughly 168% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Interlaken is 160% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.17 CHF 24.72

$11.73 MX$202

165.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 113

$41.78 MX$719

241.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.44 CHF 14.62

$10.41 MX$179

77.14%

Cappuccino

$6.10 CHF 4.84

$3.61 MX$62.1

68.98%

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

$5.18 CHF 4.11

$1.46 MX$25.06

254.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 CHF 3.87

$0.97 MX$16.70

403.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.34 CHF 6.62

$2.92 MX$50.3

185.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 CHF 5.70

$4.62 MX$79.5

55.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.75

$1.43 MX$24.59

54.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 CHF 2.76

$1.90 MX$32.70

83.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 CHF 3.22

$1.57 MX$26.95

159.24%

Eggs

$7.34 CHF 5.82

$2.64 MX$45.34

178.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.88 CHF 22.91

$8.44 MX$145

242.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.70 CHF 26.73

$8.58 MX$148

292.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.08 CHF 37.34

$11.00 MX$189

328.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CHF 3.00

$2.70 MX$46.51

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 CHF 1.82

$1.51 MX$25.92

51.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 CHF 2.31

$1.91 MX$32.93

52.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 CHF 4.95

$2.17 MX$37.37

188.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.00

$1.87 MX$32.25

34.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 CHF 1.88

$2.23 MX$38.43

6.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.05

$1.08 MX$18.60

138.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.10

$1.07 MX$18.47

28.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.69

$4.16 MX$71.6

163.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.29 CHF 16.09

$10.29 MX$177

97.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 1.94

$1.68 MX$28.95

45.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CHF 2.55

$2.53 MX$43.59

27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 CHF 3.19

$0.55 MX$9.53

630.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.4 CHF 78.1

$26.29 MX$452

274.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 CHF 6.33

$3.20 MX$55.0

149.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.30 CHF 3.41

$2.46 MX$42.37

74.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.1 CHF 63.5

$3.20 MX$55.0

2403.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$1.32 MX$22.72

62.88%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.2K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

34.85%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.2K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

73.75%

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

$258 CHF 204

$81.4 MX$1,400

216.55%

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

$48.80 CHF 38.71

$22.41 MX$386

117.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CHF 46.81

$29.97 MX$516

96.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.5 CHF 70.2

$51.6 MX$887

71.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$23.16 CHF 18.37

$5.16 MX$88.9

348.84%

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

$2,895 CHF 2,296

$202 MX$3,471

1334.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 27.5K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

552.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 110

$35.61 MX$613

289.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CHF 54.4

$40.37 MX$695

69.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 118

$78.6 MX$1,353

89.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 149

$86.9 MX$1,495

116.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 CHF 1,359

$950 MX$16.3K

80.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 CHF 1,180

$478 MX$8,227

211.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,882 CHF 2,286

$1,621 MX$27.9K

77.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,501 CHF 1,983

$1,223 MX$21.0K

104.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 9,849

$4,009 MX$69.0K

209.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,761 CHF 6,948

$6,473 MX$111.4K

35.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,614 CHF 6,038

$673 MX$11.6K

1031.42%

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 Interlaken: June 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,714 in Interlaken and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Interlaken pays 1031% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $143 in Interlaken vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $673 vs $254 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 168% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Interlaken pays 1031% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,714 in Interlaken versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,470 per month in Interlaken versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen – a 168% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 274% less than in Interlaken. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,470 in Interlaken, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Interlaken. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Interlaken, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Interlaken and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 168% less than in Interlaken. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.