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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,526 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,310 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,094 in Altstätten, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 63% cheaper than Altstätten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Altstätten is 163% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$31.23 CHF 24.62

-62.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$144 CHF 114

-71.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$18.53 CHF 14.61

-42.58%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$6.07 CHF 4.79

-42.01%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$5.40 CHF 4.26

-72.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$4.88 CHF 3.84

-80.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$8.18 CHF 6.45

-63.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$7.31 CHF 5.76

-39.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.19 CHF 1.72

-36.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.50 CHF 2.76

-46.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$4.18 CHF 3.29

-60.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$7.61 CHF 6.00

-67.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$28.87 CHF 22.76

-71.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$33.01 CHF 26.03

-74.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$47.87 CHF 37.74

-77.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.80 CHF 2.99

-31.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.34 CHF 1.85

-37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.88 CHF 2.27

-34.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$6.36 CHF 5.02

-67.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.46 CHF 1.94

-27.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.40 CHF 1.89

-8.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.52 CHF 1.98

-58.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.32 CHF 1.04

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$11.18 CHF 8.81

-63.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$13.81 CHF 10.89

-25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.38 CHF 1.88

-28.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.34 CHF 2.63

-22.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.96 CHF 3.12

-87.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$97.2 CHF 76.6

-72.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$7.75 CHF 6.11

-57.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$4.15 CHF 3.27

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$81.5 CHF 64.3

-96.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.15 CHF 1.69

-39.07%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

-23.89%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$42.1K CHF 33.2K

-44.40%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$257 CHF 203

-67.80%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$48.17 CHF 37.98

-53.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$59.0 CHF 46.55

-50.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$88.9 CHF 70.1

-41.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$22.54 CHF 17.77

-77.51%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$2,895 CHF 2,282

-93.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$34.3K CHF 27.0K

-84.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$139 CHF 109

-73.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$68.0 CHF 53.6

-41.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$150 CHF 118

-47.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$188 CHF 148

-53.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,691 CHF 1,334

-42.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,489 CHF 1,174

-68.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,812 CHF 2,217

-41.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$2,475 CHF 1,951

-50.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

-72.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$10.2K CHF 8,071

-36.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,691 in Altstätten. 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 Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $660 – 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 Altstätten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 172%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,289 in Altstätten. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $3,526 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 267% 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 $1,297, than in Altstätten at $3,526. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstätten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Altstätten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.