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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,361 in Arbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,221 in Arbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,082 in Arbon, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Arbon is 152% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$30.53 CHF 24.73

-60.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$139 CHF 113

-69.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$17.34 CHF 14.05

-38.00%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$6.16 CHF 4.99

-43.18%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$5.35 CHF 4.33

-72.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$4.35 CHF 3.53

-79.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.72 CHF 6.25

-61.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.19 CHF 5.83

-37.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.28 CHF 1.85

-37.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.57 CHF 2.08

-28.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$3.63 CHF 2.94

-56.75%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$7.91 CHF 6.41

-68.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$27.75 CHF 22.47

-70.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$32.72 CHF 26.50

-74.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$41.18 CHF 33.36

-74.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.19 CHF 2.58

-18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.83 CHF 1.48

-21.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.49 CHF 2.02

-21.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.36 CHF 5.15

-67.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.49 CHF 2.01

-25.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.38 CHF 1.93

-8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.58 CHF 2.09

-60.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.15 CHF 0.93

-6.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$10.80 CHF 8.75

-62.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$11.17 CHF 9.05

-8.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.25 CHF 1.82

-25.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.33 CHF 1.88

8.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.89 CHF 3.15

-86.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$97.0 CHF 78.6

-73.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$6.71 CHF 5.43

-51.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$4.24 CHF 3.43

-43.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$78.8 CHF 63.9

-95.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.17 CHF 1.76

-39.17%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

-25.29%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$42.9K CHF 34.8K

-44.89%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$251 CHF 203

-67.29%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$59.3 CHF 48.06

-61.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$54.0 CHF 43.76

-44.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$89.4 CHF 72.4

-41.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$22.30 CHF 18.07

-77.67%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$2,789 CHF 2,259

-92.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$42.8K CHF 34.7K

-87.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$137 CHF 111

-73.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$64.4 CHF 52.2

-37.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$131 CHF 106

-39.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$161 CHF 130

-44.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,702 CHF 1,379

-44.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,445 CHF 1,171

-67.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,874 CHF 2,328

-42.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$2,437 CHF 1,974

-50.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$14.8K CHF 12.0K

-72.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$10.6K CHF 8,603

-39.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$11.3K CHF 9,167

-94.22%

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 Arbon: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,702 in Arbon. 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 1631% higher in Arbon, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $139 in Arbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $608 – 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 Arbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $3,361 in Arbon – roughly 168% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,041 in Arbon. 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 $3,361 in Arbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 273% 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 Arbon at $3,361. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $3,361 in Arbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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