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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,489 in Airolo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,283 in Airolo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,077 in Airolo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 64% cheaper than Airolo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Airolo is 161% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$30.89 CHF 25.02

-61.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$144 CHF 117

-70.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$18.37 CHF 14.88

-41.48%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$5.94 CHF 4.81

-41.08%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$5.37 CHF 4.35

-73.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$4.91 CHF 3.98

-82.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$8.16 CHF 6.61

-63.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.29 CHF 5.90

-38.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.16 CHF 1.75

-33.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.63 CHF 2.94

-49.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.25 CHF 3.45

-63.06%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$7.43 CHF 6.02

-66.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$29.38 CHF 23.80

-71.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$33.29 CHF 26.97

-74.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$48.53 CHF 39.31

-77.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.83 CHF 3.10

-31.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.30 CHF 1.86

-37.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.88 CHF 2.33

-31.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.24 CHF 5.06

-66.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.45 CHF 1.98

-24.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.43 CHF 1.96

-10.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.61 CHF 2.11

-60.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.33 CHF 1.07

-19.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$11.01 CHF 8.92

-62.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$13.16 CHF 10.66

-22.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.35 CHF 2.72

-24.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.93 CHF 3.19

-87.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$99.5 CHF 80.6

-73.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$7.71 CHF 6.24

-58.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$4.22 CHF 3.42

-42.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$81.1 CHF 65.7

-96.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.15 CHF 1.74

-38.60%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

-25.33%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$41.9K CHF 33.9K

-43.48%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$262 CHF 212

-68.73%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$47.75 CHF 38.68

-51.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$58.6 CHF 47.46

-48.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$87.9 CHF 71.2

-40.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$23.15 CHF 18.75

-78.49%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$2,930 CHF 2,373

-93.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$35.0K CHF 28.3K

-84.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$137 CHF 111

-73.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$67.7 CHF 54.9

-40.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$149 CHF 121

-47.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$185 CHF 150

-51.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,688 CHF 1,367

-43.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,454 CHF 1,178

-67.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,782 CHF 2,254

-40.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$2,500 CHF 2,025

-51.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$15.3K CHF 12.4K

-73.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$11.9K CHF 9,669

-45.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.5

356.80%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Airolo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,688 in Airolo. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $144 in Airolo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $664 – 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

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

Airolo costs about 178% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,233 in Airolo. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $3,489 in Airolo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 282% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Airolo at $3,489. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Airolo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $3,489 in Airolo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Airolo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.