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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,519 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,382 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,245 in Altstätten, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Altstätten is 163% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$30.29 CHF 24.53

-60.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$143 CHF 116

-70.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$18.49 CHF 14.98

-41.86%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$6.01 CHF 4.87

-41.76%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$5.36 CHF 4.35

-72.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$4.74 CHF 3.84

-81.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$8.42 CHF 6.82

-64.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.45 CHF 6.04

-39.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.15 CHF 1.74

-33.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.50 CHF 2.83

-47.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.06 CHF 3.29

-61.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$7.56 CHF 6.13

-66.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$28.70 CHF 23.25

-71.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$34.14 CHF 27.65

-75.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$48.05 CHF 38.92

-77.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.78 CHF 3.06

-30.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.30 CHF 1.87

-37.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.92 CHF 2.36

-32.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.15 CHF 4.98

-66.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.54 CHF 2.06

-27.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.43 CHF 1.97

-10.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.53 CHF 2.05

-59.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.32 CHF 1.07

-18.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$11.24 CHF 9.11

-63.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$13.09 CHF 10.60

-22.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.43 CHF 1.97

-30.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.30 CHF 2.67

-23.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.82 CHF 3.09

-86.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$98.9 CHF 80.1

-73.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$7.77 CHF 6.29

-58.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$4.11 CHF 3.33

-41.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$81.2 CHF 65.7

-96.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.23 CHF 1.81

-40.81%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

-25.21%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$41.3K CHF 33.4K

-42.66%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$262 CHF 212

-68.65%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$49.27 CHF 39.90

-53.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$59.5 CHF 48.23

-49.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$89.1 CHF 72.1

-41.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$22.57 CHF 18.28

-77.94%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$2,867 CHF 2,322

-93.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$34.1K CHF 27.6K

-84.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$138 CHF 112

-74.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$67.6 CHF 54.8

-40.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$145 CHF 118

-45.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$184 CHF 149

-51.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,689 CHF 1,368

-43.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,472 CHF 1,192

-67.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,877 CHF 2,330

-42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$2,434 CHF 1,972

-50.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$15.7K CHF 12.8K

-74.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$12.7K CHF 10.3K

-49.01%

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 Altstätten: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,689 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 $143 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $662 – 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 180%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,279 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $3,519 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 280% 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 Altstätten at $3,519. 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.