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 $3,574 per month in Kriens vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,405 per month in Kriens vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,237 per month in Kriens vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kriens costs about 176% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kriens sits 168% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.60 CHF 24.26

$11.73 MX$202

160.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$157 CHF 124

$41.78 MX$719

274.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.76 CHF 14.88

$10.41 MX$179

80.21%

Cappuccino

$6.99 CHF 5.54

$3.61 MX$62.1

93.63%

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

$5.57 CHF 4.42

$1.46 MX$25.06

281.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 CHF 4.02

$0.97 MX$16.70

422.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 CHF 7.78

$2.92 MX$50.3

235.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 CHF 5.72

$4.62 MX$79.5

56.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$1.43 MX$24.59

51.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 CHF 3.05

$1.90 MX$32.70

102.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.11 CHF 4.05

$1.57 MX$26.95

225.48%

Eggs

$7.66 CHF 6.08

$2.64 MX$45.34

190.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.40 CHF 22.52

$8.44 MX$145

236.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.19 CHF 28.70

$8.58 MX$148

321.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.37 CHF 35.19

$11.00 MX$189

303.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.89

$2.70 MX$46.51

34.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.69

$1.51 MX$25.92

41.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.23

$1.91 MX$32.93

47.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.89 CHF 5.47

$2.17 MX$37.37

217.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.87 MX$32.25

19.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.98

$2.23 MX$38.43

11.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.03

$1.08 MX$18.60

137.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CHF 1.23

$1.07 MX$18.47

44.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 CHF 8.28

$4.16 MX$71.6

150.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 CHF 8.40

$10.29 MX$177

2.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CHF 1.95

$1.68 MX$28.95

45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.41

$2.53 MX$43.59

20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.14

$0.55 MX$9.53

618.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.9 CHF 79.2

$26.29 MX$452

279.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.06 CHF 6.39

$3.20 MX$55.0

151.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.17 CHF 3.30

$2.46 MX$42.37

69.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.3 CHF 69.2

$3.20 MX$55.0

2627.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.67

$1.32 MX$22.72

59.85%

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

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

35.58%

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

$41.8K CHF 33.1K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

78.65%

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

$292 CHF 231

$81.4 MX$1,400

258.59%

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

$53.4 CHF 42.37

$22.41 MX$386

138.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 CHF 47.19

$29.97 MX$516

98.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 CHF 68.6

$51.6 MX$887

67.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$23.20 CHF 18.40

$5.16 MX$88.9

349.61%

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

$2,592 CHF 2,056

$202 MX$3,471

1184.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.1K CHF 27.1K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

542.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 84.7

$35.61 MX$613

200.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 CHF 42.88

$40.37 MX$695

33.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 CHF 124

$78.6 MX$1,353

98.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 CHF 152

$86.9 MX$1,495

120.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CHF 1,355

$950 MX$16.3K

79.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,444 CHF 1,145

$478 MX$8,227

201.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,817 CHF 2,234

$1,621 MX$27.9K

73.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,454 CHF 1,947

$1,223 MX$21.0K

100.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 12.8K

$4,009 MX$69.0K

303.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.5K CHF 10.7K

$6,473 MX$111.4K

108.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,709 in Kriens versus $950 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 $156 in Kriens versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $667 vs $254 – 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 176% 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 $5,361 per month in Kriens and $1,941 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 $2,592 per month in Kriens and $202 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 163% 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 $1,294, than in Kriens at $3,574. 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 $1,294 versus $3,574 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.