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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,482 per month in Meilen vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,449 per month in Meilen vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,416 per month in Meilen vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Meilen sits 162% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.45 CHF 24.58

$11.72 MX$203

159.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 117

$41.89 MX$725

247.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.82 CHF 15.19

$10.51 MX$182

79.07%

Cappuccino

$6.46 CHF 5.21

$3.59 MX$62.0

79.94%

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

$6.03 CHF 4.86

$1.51 MX$26.10

299.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CHF 4.15

$0.92 MX$15.83

458.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.76 CHF 7.07

$2.96 MX$51.2

195.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 CHF 5.99

$4.41 MX$76.3

68.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$1.40 MX$24.16

55.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CHF 2.72

$1.88 MX$32.60

79.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 CHF 3.20

$1.56 MX$26.97

154.49%

Eggs

$7.44 CHF 6.01

$2.61 MX$45.14

185.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.03 CHF 23.43

$8.32 MX$144

248.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.05 CHF 26.67

$8.35 MX$145

295.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.7 CHF 40.94

$10.86 MX$188

367.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.26

$2.71 MX$46.93

49.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.95

$1.51 MX$26.04

60.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 CHF 2.50

$1.87 MX$32.41

65.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 CHF 4.01

$2.19 MX$37.89

126.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$1.86 MX$32.14

41.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.23 MX$38.59

4.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.07

$1.07 MX$18.48

139.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$1.09 MX$18.79

5.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.25 CHF 9.08

$4.19 MX$72.4

168.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 CHF 10.58

$10.43 MX$180

25.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$1.66 MX$28.68

32.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.85

$2.61 MX$45.19

-12.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.25

$0.54 MX$9.37

646.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 CHF 79.8

$26.16 MX$453

278.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 CHF 5.33

$3.08 MX$53.3

114.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.16 CHF 3.35

$2.40 MX$41.61

73.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.5 CHF 64.2

$3.13 MX$54.1

2439.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$1.31 MX$22.69

68.70%

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

$40.2K CHF 32.4K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

34.83%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.8K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

68.70%

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

$251 CHF 202

$81.3 MX$1,406

208.69%

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

$60.4 CHF 48.72

$22.56 MX$390

167.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 CHF 48.02

$30.05 MX$520

98.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 CHF 69.8

$52.9 MX$915

63.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.78 CHF 37.75

$18.39 MX$318

154.38%

Cinema Ticket

$26.94 CHF 21.74

$4.92 MX$85.1

447.56%

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

$2,850 CHF 2,300

$201 MX$3,474

1319.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K CHF 32.3K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

674.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$35.92 MX$622

289.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 CHF 48.96

$40.13 MX$694

51.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 120

$79.7 MX$1,379

86.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 CHF 162

$86.5 MX$1,496

132.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 CHF 1,355

$978 MX$16.9K

71.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 CHF 1,205

$470 MX$8,140

217.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 CHF 2,309

$1,651 MX$28.6K

73.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 CHF 1,996

$1,203 MX$20.8K

105.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

269.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 9,986

$6,607 MX$114.3K

87.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,239 CHF 6,649

$677 MX$11.7K

1117.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

11.42

-81.70%

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

Last update for Meilen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,679 in Meilen 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.

Salaries run about 1118% higher in Meilen, 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 $146 in Meilen versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $656 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

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

Meilen 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 $5,223 per month in Meilen 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.

Public transport costs about 278% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,850 per month in Meilen and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Meilen at $3,482. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Meilen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,260 versus $3,482 in Meilen. 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, Meilen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.