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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,317 per month in Kriens vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,030 per month in Kriens vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,742 per month in Kriens vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kriens costs about 162% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kriens sits 143% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.36 CHF 24.95

$11.60 MX$200

161.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 88.7

$47.11 MX$811

129.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.41 CHF 15.13

$11.88 MX$205

54.97%

Cappuccino

$6.12 CHF 5.03

$3.98 MX$68.5

53.77%

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

$5.28 CHF 4.34

$1.43 MX$24.57

269.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 CHF 4.13

$0.82 MX$14.20

512.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 CHF 4.96

$3.19 MX$54.9

89.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 CHF 6.01

$6.79 MX$117

7.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.79

$1.68 MX$28.85

29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 CHF 3.15

$2.20 MX$37.83

74.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 CHF 2.24

$1.71 MX$29.41

59.06%

Eggs

$7.78 CHF 6.39

$2.74 MX$47.20

183.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.09 CHF 22.26

$9.58 MX$165

182.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.48 CHF 25.87

$9.01 MX$155

249.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.93 CHF 34.46

$12.81 MX$221

227.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 CHF 2.44

$2.89 MX$49.74

2.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 CHF 1.51

$1.50 MX$25.78

22.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.08

$2.15 MX$36.98

17.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 CHF 4.44

$2.26 MX$38.91

138.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 CHF 1.45

$1.98 MX$34.10

-10.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.65

$1.99 MX$34.26

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CHF 1.84

$1.23 MX$21.25

82.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.15

$1.20 MX$20.60

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 CHF 9.30

$4.55 MX$78.3

148.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 CHF 8.72

$10.37 MX$179

2.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 CHF 2.06

$1.62 MX$27.88

54.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 CHF 2.37

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.43 CHF 3.64

$0.60 MX$10.34

638.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CHF 84.3

$28.80 MX$496

256.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.13 CHF 5.86

$5.39 MX$92.8

32.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.25 CHF 5.13

$3.73 MX$64.2

67.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.7 CHF 64.7

$5.77 MX$99.3

1264.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.86

$1.54 MX$26.45

47.40%

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

$43.2K CHF 35.5K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

91.53%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.6K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

52.26%

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

$123 CHF 101

$91.4 MX$1,573

34.59%

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

$40.33 CHF 33.14

$25.20 MX$434

60.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 48.07

$31.24 MX$538

87.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.3 CHF 75.0

$67.2 MX$1,157

35.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.33 CHF 38.90

$29.11 MX$501

62.59%

Cinema Ticket

$22.29 CHF 18.32

$4.86 MX$83.7

358.64%

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

$3,235 CHF 2,659

$224 MX$3,851

1346.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K CHF 20.2K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

482.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 CHF 74.9

$47.10 MX$811

93.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.3 CHF 57.0

$44.29 MX$763

56.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CHF 89.9

$80.1 MX$1,379

36.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 CHF 142

$92.7 MX$1,596

85.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 CHF 1,407

$1,063 MX$18.3K

61.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 CHF 1,218

$390 MX$6,719

279.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,941 CHF 2,417

$2,149 MX$37.0K

36.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,472 CHF 2,032

$1,272 MX$21.9K

94.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

$4,001 MX$68.9K

304.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.4K

$6,502 MX$112.0K

93.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

11.45

-83.41%

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

Last update for Kriens: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,712 in Kriens 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Kriens versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $604 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

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

Kriens costs about 162% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,976 per month in Kriens and $1,899 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.

Kindergarten costs $3,235 per month in Kriens and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 119% more in Kriens, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Kriens at $3,317. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kriens it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $3,317 in Kriens. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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