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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,433 in Glattfelden, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,330 in Glattfelden, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,227 in Glattfelden, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Glattfelden is 158% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$31.28 CHF 25.25

-62.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$141 CHF 114

-70.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$18.39 CHF 14.84

-42.85%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$6.02 CHF 4.86

-40.37%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$5.44 CHF 4.39

-72.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$4.69 CHF 3.79

-80.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$8.37 CHF 6.75

-64.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.36 CHF 5.94

-40.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.18 CHF 1.76

-35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$3.46 CHF 2.79

-45.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$4.23 CHF 3.41

-63.12%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$7.45 CHF 6.01

-64.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$29.39 CHF 23.71

-71.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$33.02 CHF 26.65

-74.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$47.51 CHF 38.34

-77.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.78 CHF 3.05

-28.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.34 CHF 1.88

-35.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.92 CHF 2.36

-35.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$6.17 CHF 4.98

-64.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.42 CHF 1.95

-23.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.36 CHF 1.91

-5.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.64 CHF 2.13

-59.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.38 CHF 1.12

-21.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$10.95 CHF 8.84

-61.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$11.36 CHF 9.17

-8.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-28.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.24 CHF 2.62

-19.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.80 CHF 3.07

-85.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$97.1 CHF 78.4

-73.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$8.06 CHF 6.51

-61.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$4.29 CHF 3.46

-44.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$80.6 CHF 65.1

-96.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.14 CHF 1.73

-38.79%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$40.6K CHF 32.7K

-26.55%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$42.0K CHF 33.9K

-44.47%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$260 CHF 210

-68.77%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$47.95 CHF 38.69

-52.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$58.8 CHF 47.41

-48.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$88.3 CHF 71.2

-40.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$44.37 CHF 35.81

-58.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$23.07 CHF 18.61

-78.67%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$2,872 CHF 2,318

-93.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$34.6K CHF 27.9K

-85.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$138 CHF 111

-73.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$67.4 CHF 54.4

-40.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$145 CHF 117

-45.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$187 CHF 151

-53.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,724 CHF 1,391

-43.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$1,471 CHF 1,187

-68.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$2,811 CHF 2,268

-41.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$2,438 CHF 1,967

-50.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$14.1K CHF 11.4K

-71.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$13.4K CHF 10.8K

-50.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$5,413 CHF 4,368

-87.50%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Glattfelden: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,724 in Glattfelden. 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 700% higher in Glattfelden, 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 $141 in Glattfelden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $654 – 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 Glattfelden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Glattfelden costs about 172% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,149 in Glattfelden. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $141 in Glattfelden. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $3,433 in Glattfelden. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Glattfelden at $3,433. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glattfelden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,260 versus $3,433 in Glattfelden. 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, Glattfelden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.