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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,317 in Kriens, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,030 in Kriens, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,742 in Kriens, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 62% cheaper than Kriens, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Kriens is 143% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$30.36 CHF 24.95

-61.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$108 CHF 88.7

-56.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$18.41 CHF 15.13

-35.47%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$6.12 CHF 5.03

-34.97%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$5.28 CHF 4.34

-72.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$5.02 CHF 4.13

-83.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$6.04 CHF 4.96

-47.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.31 CHF 6.01

-7.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.18 CHF 1.79

-22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$3.84 CHF 3.15

-42.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$2.72 CHF 2.24

-37.13%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$7.78 CHF 6.39

-64.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$27.09 CHF 22.26

-64.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$31.48 CHF 25.87

-71.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$41.93 CHF 34.46

-69.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.96 CHF 2.44

-2.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.83 CHF 1.51

-18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.53 CHF 2.08

-15.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$5.40 CHF 4.44

-58.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.77 CHF 1.45

11.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.01 CHF 1.65

-1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$2.24 CHF 1.84

-45.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.40 CHF 1.15

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$11.31 CHF 9.30

-59.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.61 CHF 8.72

-2.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$2.51 CHF 2.06

-35.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.88 CHF 2.37

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$4.43 CHF 3.64

-86.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$103 CHF 84.3

-71.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$7.13 CHF 5.86

-24.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$6.25 CHF 5.13

-40.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$78.7 CHF 64.7

-92.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$2.27 CHF 1.86

-32.16%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$43.2K CHF 35.5K

-47.79%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$39.7K CHF 32.6K

-34.32%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$123 CHF 101

-25.70%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$40.33 CHF 33.14

-37.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$58.5 CHF 48.07

-46.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$91.3 CHF 75.0

-26.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$47.33 CHF 38.90

-38.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$22.29 CHF 18.32

-78.20%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$3,235 CHF 2,659

-93.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$24.6K CHF 20.2K

-82.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$91.2 CHF 74.9

-48.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$69.3 CHF 57.0

-36.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$109 CHF 89.9

-26.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$172 CHF 142

-46.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,712 CHF 1,407

-37.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$1,482 CHF 1,218

-73.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$2,941 CHF 2,417

-26.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,472 CHF 2,032

-48.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

-75.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$12.6K CHF 10.4K

-48.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.9

502.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kriens: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,712 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $108 in Kriens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $604 – 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 162% 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,976 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 $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,235 in Kriens. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 119% 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 $1,266, than in Kriens at $3,317. 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 $1,266 versus $3,317 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.