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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,941 per month in Olten vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,458 per month in Olten vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,975 per month in Olten vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Olten costs about 127% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Olten sits 119% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.87 CHF 24.36

$11.73 MX$203

163.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 CHF 82.9

$41.62 MX$719

152.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.57 CHF 13.86

$10.64 MX$184

65.13%

Cappuccino

$5.47 CHF 4.31

$3.52 MX$60.8

55.40%

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

$5.34 CHF 4.22

$1.51 MX$26.09

253.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 CHF 3.65

$0.97 MX$16.82

376.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 CHF 5.43

$2.95 MX$51.0

133.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 CHF 4.97

$4.45 MX$77.0

41.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CHF 1.65

$1.38 MX$23.90

51.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CHF 2.68

$1.89 MX$32.69

79.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.26

$1.64 MX$28.29

151.22%

Eggs

$7.54 CHF 5.95

$2.51 MX$43.30

200.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.64 CHF 17.07

$8.34 MX$144

159.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.89 CHF 20.43

$8.34 MX$144

210.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.22 CHF 31.74

$10.73 MX$185

274.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.19

$2.60 MX$45.00

55.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$1.46 MX$25.18

64.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.35

$1.90 MX$32.84

56.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 CHF 3.99

$2.08 MX$35.88

142.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.17

$1.78 MX$30.68

54.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 CHF 1.87

$2.19 MX$37.76

8.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$1.04 MX$17.97

136.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CHF 1.20

$1.08 MX$18.60

40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 CHF 8.64

$4.08 MX$70.5

168.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 CHF 12.17

$10.32 MX$178

49.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$1.71 MX$29.59

25.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.91

$2.58 MX$44.50

-6.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 CHF 3.10

$0.51 MX$8.81

670.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 79.0

$26.46 MX$457

278.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 CHF 5.94

$3.26 MX$56.4

130.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.27

$2.49 MX$43.05

66.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 CHF 48.53

$3.25 MX$56.1

1792.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.80

$1.31 MX$22.59

74.05%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.1K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

34.28%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

67.79%

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

$260 CHF 205

$82.9 MX$1,432

213.93%

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

$33.65 CHF 26.56

$22.22 MX$384

51.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 45.54

$29.34 MX$507

96.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 CHF 48.36

$51.6 MX$892

18.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.65 CHF 14.72

$18.32 MX$317

1.80%

Cinema Ticket

$24.88 CHF 19.64

$5.07 MX$87.5

390.73%

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

$3,433 CHF 2,709

$201 MX$3,470

1609.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

664.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 111

$36.92 MX$638

281.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 CHF 48.33

$39.79 MX$688

53.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 118

$78.5 MX$1,356

90.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 156

$87.1 MX$1,505

127.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 CHF 985

$973 MX$16.8K

28.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 CHF 839

$468 MX$8,082

127.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CHF 1,568

$1,641 MX$28.4K

21.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 CHF 1,348

$1,221 MX$21.1K

39.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,351 CHF 3,433

$664 MX$11.5K

555.29%

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 Olten: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,248 in Olten versus $973 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 555% higher in Olten, 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 $105 in Olten versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $576 vs $249 – 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

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

Olten costs about 127% 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 $4,411 per month in Olten and $1,945 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.

Groceries cost about 131% more in Olten, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $105 in Olten and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Olten at $2,941. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Olten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $2,941 in Olten. 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, Olten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.