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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,483 in Kriens, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,419 in Kriens, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,356 in Kriens, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Kriens is 160% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$31.30 CHF 24.76

-61.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$155 CHF 123

-72.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$18.93 CHF 14.97

-44.06%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$6.72 CHF 5.31

-46.13%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$5.46 CHF 4.32

-73.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$5.24 CHF 4.14

-82.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$9.61 CHF 7.60

-67.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.48 CHF 5.92

-40.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.14 CHF 1.70

-33.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.71 CHF 2.94

-49.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$5.02 CHF 3.97

-67.53%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$7.94 CHF 6.28

-66.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$28.31 CHF 22.40

-71.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$36.26 CHF 28.69

-77.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$44.51 CHF 35.21

-75.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.69 CHF 2.92

-28.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.07 CHF 1.63

-27.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.83 CHF 2.24

-29.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$6.83 CHF 5.41

-69.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.31 CHF 1.83

-22.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-9.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.54 CHF 2.01

-57.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.51 CHF 1.19

-31.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$10.52 CHF 8.32

-62.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.74 CHF 8.50

-5.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.36 CHF 1.86

-26.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.02 CHF 2.39

-17.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.97 CHF 3.14

-86.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$99.4 CHF 78.6

-72.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$8.05 CHF 6.37

-60.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$4.14 CHF 3.28

-42.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$87.4 CHF 69.1

-96.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.14 CHF 1.69

-40.65%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$40.5K CHF 32.0K

-23.75%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$42.6K CHF 33.7K

-45.29%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$290 CHF 229

-71.73%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$54.2 CHF 42.88

-58.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$60.3 CHF 47.68

-50.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$87.3 CHF 69.1

-40.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$22.91 CHF 18.12

-78.31%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$2,543 CHF 2,012

-92.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$35.0K CHF 27.7K

-84.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$110 CHF 86.7

-66.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$52.9 CHF 41.84

-24.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$155 CHF 123

-48.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$188 CHF 148

-52.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,678 CHF 1,327

-42.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,482 CHF 1,172

-68.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,829 CHF 2,238

-43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$2,471 CHF 1,954

-51.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$14.1K CHF 11.1K

-71.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$12.2K CHF 9,634

-47.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kriens: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,678 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $155 in Kriens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $666 – 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 171% 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,224 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,543 in Kriens. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 166% 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 $1,287, than in Kriens at $3,483. 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 $1,287 versus $3,483 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.