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 $3,550 per month in Meilen vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,422 per month in Meilen vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,295 per month in Meilen vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Meilen sits 165% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.33 CHF 24.78

$11.94 MX$209

162.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 118

$42.75 MX$748

250.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.66 CHF 14.76

$10.59 MX$185

76.20%

Cappuccino

$6.19 CHF 4.90

$3.62 MX$63.4

70.99%

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

$6.08 CHF 4.81

$1.47 MX$25.69

313.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CHF 4.19

$0.94 MX$16.51

462.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.43 CHF 6.67

$3.09 MX$54.1

172.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CHF 5.89

$4.46 MX$78.0

67.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$1.43 MX$24.94

60.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 CHF 2.60

$1.88 MX$32.97

74.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.26

$1.63 MX$28.50

152.76%

Eggs

$7.52 CHF 5.95

$2.64 MX$46.26

184.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.67 CHF 23.47

$8.21 MX$144

261.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.85 CHF 26.77

$8.29 MX$145

308.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 39.86

$11.10 MX$194

353.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CHF 3.35

$2.65 MX$46.40

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$1.50 MX$26.26

68.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.39

$1.99 MX$34.79

51.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 CHF 4.13

$2.08 MX$36.33

150.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 1.98

$1.79 MX$31.29

39.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.18 MX$38.09

5.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.04

$1.08 MX$18.84

138.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.90

$1.04 MX$18.15

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.99 CHF 8.69

$3.97 MX$69.5

176.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 CHF 12.31

$10.20 MX$179

52.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$1.73 MX$30.22

24.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$2.50 MX$43.71

-9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.18

$0.52 MX$9.07

675.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.2 CHF 77.7

$26.97 MX$472

264.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 CHF 5.43

$3.14 MX$55.0

118.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.28

$2.40 MX$42.04

72.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.9 CHF 62.4

$3.09 MX$54.0

2452.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$1.27 MX$22.28

76.38%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

32.76%

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

$39.5K CHF 31.3K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

69.54%

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

$255 CHF 201

$82.0 MX$1,435

210.38%

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

$59.4 CHF 46.96

$22.45 MX$393

164.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CHF 45.51

$29.66 MX$519

94.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.3

$51.9 MX$908

71.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.1 CHF 51.5

$18.67 MX$327

248.90%

Cinema Ticket

$27.58 CHF 21.82

$4.97 MX$87.0

454.93%

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

$2,847 CHF 2,252

$198 MX$3,462

1339.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.3K CHF 31.1K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

644.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 112

$36.34 MX$636

289.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 CHF 49.46

$40.05 MX$701

56.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 118

$79.9 MX$1,398

87.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 159

$88.9 MX$1,555

125.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CHF 1,320

$963 MX$16.9K

73.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 CHF 1,141

$465 MX$8,133

210.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,880 CHF 2,278

$1,596 MX$27.9K

80.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 CHF 1,975

$1,209 MX$21.2K

106.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

262.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,399

$6,448 MX$112.8K

64.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,496 CHF 6,720

$720 MX$12.6K

1079.36%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,669 in Meilen versus $963 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 1079% 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 $150 in Meilen versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $669 vs $251 – 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 $5,325 per month in Meilen and $1,930 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 264% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,847 per month in Meilen and $198 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 $1,287, than in Meilen at $3,550. 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 $1,287 versus $3,550 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.