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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,456 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,967 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $8,477 in Meilen, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Meilen is 153% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$30.64 CHF 25.29

-62.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$122 CHF 100

-61.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$16.67 CHF 13.76

-28.73%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$6.26 CHF 5.17

-36.42%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$5.55 CHF 4.58

-74.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$5.04 CHF 4.16

-83.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$8.43 CHF 6.96

-62.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$8.54 CHF 7.05

-20.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.22 CHF 1.84

-24.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.54 CHF 2.92

-37.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$4.04 CHF 3.33

-57.67%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$7.97 CHF 6.57

-65.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$27.40 CHF 22.62

-65.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$26.64 CHF 21.99

-66.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$41.75 CHF 34.46

-69.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.66 CHF 3.02

-21.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.08 CHF 1.71

-27.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.67 CHF 2.20

-19.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.86 CHF 4.01

-53.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.10 CHF 1.73

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-9.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.38 CHF 1.96

-48.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.29 CHF 1.06

-6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$11.10 CHF 9.16

-59.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.39 CHF 11.05

-22.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-26.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.84 CHF 2.34

1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$4.59 CHF 3.79

-86.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$102 CHF 84.2

-71.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$7.97 CHF 6.58

-32.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$4.74 CHF 3.91

-21.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$88.0 CHF 72.7

-93.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.19 CHF 1.81

-29.68%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

-43.29%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$40.5K CHF 33.5K

-35.72%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$240 CHF 198

-61.89%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$39.33 CHF 32.46

-35.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$66.0 CHF 54.5

-52.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$92.6 CHF 76.4

-27.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$46.24 CHF 38.17

-37.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$22.49 CHF 18.56

-78.39%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$2,882 CHF 2,379

-92.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$44.1K CHF 36.4K

-90.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$140 CHF 115

-66.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$60.3 CHF 49.80

-26.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$150 CHF 124

-46.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$173 CHF 143

-46.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,772 CHF 1,462

-40.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,493 CHF 1,232

-73.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,847 CHF 2,350

-24.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$4,086 CHF 3,373

-68.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$16.1K CHF 13.3K

-75.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$12.3K CHF 10.2K

-47.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$8,471 CHF 6,992

-91.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.72

565.70%

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 Meilen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,772 in Meilen. 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 1017% higher in Meilen, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $122 in Meilen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $591 – 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 Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meilen costs about 173% 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 $5,184 in Meilen. 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.

Public transport costs about 254% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,882 in Meilen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Meilen at $3,456. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Meilen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $3,456 in Meilen. 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, Meilen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.