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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,574 in Kriens, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,405 in Kriens, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,237 in Kriens, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Kriens is 168% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$30.60 CHF 24.26

-61.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$157 CHF 124

-73.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$18.76 CHF 14.88

-44.51%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$6.99 CHF 5.54

-48.35%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$5.57 CHF 4.42

-73.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$5.07 CHF 4.02

-80.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$9.80 CHF 7.78

-70.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$7.22 CHF 5.72

-36.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.16 CHF 1.71

-33.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$3.85 CHF 3.05

-50.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$5.11 CHF 4.05

-69.28%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$7.66 CHF 6.08

-65.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$28.40 CHF 22.52

-70.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$36.19 CHF 28.70

-76.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$44.37 CHF 35.19

-75.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.64 CHF 2.89

-25.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.13 CHF 1.69

-29.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.81 CHF 2.23

-32.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$6.89 CHF 5.47

-68.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-16.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.49 CHF 1.98

-10.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.56 CHF 2.03

-57.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.55 CHF 1.23

-30.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$10.44 CHF 8.28

-60.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$10.59 CHF 8.40

-2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.45 CHF 1.95

-31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.04 CHF 2.41

-16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$3.95 CHF 3.14

-86.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$99.9 CHF 79.2

-73.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$8.06 CHF 6.39

-60.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$4.17 CHF 3.30

-41.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$87.3 CHF 69.2

-96.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$2.11 CHF 1.67

-37.44%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

-26.25%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$41.8K CHF 33.1K

-44.02%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$292 CHF 231

-72.11%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$53.4 CHF 42.37

-58.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$59.5 CHF 47.19

-49.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$86.6 CHF 68.6

-40.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$23.20 CHF 18.40

-77.76%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$2,592 CHF 2,056

-92.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$34.1K CHF 27.1K

-84.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$107 CHF 84.7

-66.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$54.1 CHF 42.88

-25.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$156 CHF 124

-49.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$191 CHF 152

-54.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$1,709 CHF 1,355

-44.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$1,444 CHF 1,145

-66.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$2,817 CHF 2,234

-42.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$2,454 CHF 1,947

-50.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$16.2K CHF 12.8K

-75.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$13.5K CHF 10.7K

-52.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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 15, 2026

Last update for Kriens: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,709 in Kriens. 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 $156 in Kriens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $667 – 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 Kriens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kriens costs about 176% 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,361 in Kriens. 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.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,592 in Kriens. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 163% more in Kriens, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Kriens at $3,574. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kriens it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,294 versus $3,574 in Kriens. 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, Kriens makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.