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 $3,594 per month in Kriens vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,500 per month in Kriens vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,405 per month in Kriens vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kriens costs about 185% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kriens sits 170% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.70 CHF 24.77

$11.72 MX$203

161.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$154 CHF 124

$41.89 MX$725

266.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.96 CHF 15.30

$10.51 MX$182

80.40%

Cappuccino

$6.82 CHF 5.50

$3.59 MX$62.0

89.97%

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

$5.53 CHF 4.47

$1.51 MX$26.10

266.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 CHF 4.16

$0.92 MX$15.83

460.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.01 CHF 8.07

$2.96 MX$51.2

238.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 CHF 5.99

$4.41 MX$76.3

68.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.75

$1.40 MX$24.16

55.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 CHF 3.13

$1.88 MX$32.60

106.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 CHF 4.14

$1.56 MX$26.97

228.85%

Eggs

$7.95 CHF 6.41

$2.61 MX$45.14

204.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.60 CHF 23.08

$8.32 MX$144

243.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.32 CHF 29.31

$8.35 MX$145

334.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.74 CHF 35.30

$10.86 MX$188

302.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.94

$2.71 MX$46.93

34.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.69

$1.51 MX$26.04

38.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.27

$1.87 MX$32.41

50.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.06 CHF 5.70

$2.19 MX$37.89

222.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.86

$1.86 MX$32.14

24.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.97

$2.23 MX$38.59

9.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$1.07 MX$18.48

143.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CHF 1.25

$1.09 MX$18.79

42.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 CHF 8.55

$4.19 MX$72.4

152.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 CHF 8.27

$10.43 MX$180

-1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$1.66 MX$28.68

46.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CHF 2.51

$2.61 MX$45.19

19.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 CHF 3.10

$0.54 MX$9.37

611.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 81.1

$26.16 MX$453

284.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 CHF 6.52

$3.08 MX$53.3

162.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 CHF 3.38

$2.40 MX$41.61

74.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.0 CHF 71.0

$3.13 MX$54.1

2711.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.31 MX$22.69

69.47%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

32.97%

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

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

80.44%

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

$296 CHF 239

$81.3 MX$1,406

264.74%

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

$53.4 CHF 43.12

$22.56 MX$390

136.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 CHF 47.96

$30.05 MX$520

97.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.3 CHF 71.2

$52.9 MX$915

66.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.41 CHF 35.03

$18.39 MX$318

136.05%

Cinema Ticket

$23.04 CHF 18.59

$4.92 MX$85.1

368.29%

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

$2,577 CHF 2,080

$201 MX$3,474

1183.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.8K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

566.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 88.3

$35.92 MX$622

204.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 CHF 43.37

$40.13 MX$694

33.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 CHF 126

$79.7 MX$1,379

96.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 150

$86.5 MX$1,496

114.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 CHF 1,360

$978 MX$16.9K

72.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 CHF 1,190

$470 MX$8,140

213.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 CHF 2,247

$1,651 MX$28.6K

68.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 CHF 2,004

$1,203 MX$20.8K

106.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

269.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.2K CHF 10.6K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

99.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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 Kriens: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,685 in Kriens versus $978 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 $154 in Kriens versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $668 vs $252 – 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 185% 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 $5,392 per month in Kriens and $1,890 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 $2,577 per month in Kriens and $201 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 166% 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 $1,260, than in Kriens at $3,594. 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 $1,260 versus $3,594 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.