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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,550 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,422 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,295 in Meilen, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Meilen is 165% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$31.33 CHF 24.78

-61.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$150 CHF 118

-71.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$18.66 CHF 14.76

-43.25%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$6.19 CHF 4.90

-41.52%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$6.08 CHF 4.81

-75.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$5.29 CHF 4.19

-82.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$8.43 CHF 6.67

-63.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.45 CHF 5.89

-40.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.29 CHF 1.81

-37.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.28 CHF 2.60

-42.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$4.12 CHF 3.26

-60.44%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$7.52 CHF 5.95

-64.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$29.67 CHF 23.47

-72.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$33.85 CHF 26.77

-75.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$50.4 CHF 39.86

-77.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.24 CHF 3.35

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.52 CHF 1.99

-40.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.02 CHF 2.39

-34.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$5.22 CHF 4.13

-60.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.50 CHF 1.98

-28.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.29 CHF 1.81

-4.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.58 CHF 2.04

-58.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.14 CHF 0.90

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$10.99 CHF 8.69

-63.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$15.56 CHF 12.31

-34.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.16 CHF 1.71

-19.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.27 CHF 1.80

10.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$4.03 CHF 3.18

-87.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$98.2 CHF 77.7

-72.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$6.87 CHF 5.43

-54.29%

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

$78.9 CHF 62.4

-96.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-43.30%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

-24.68%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$39.5K CHF 31.3K

-41.02%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$255 CHF 201

-67.78%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$59.4 CHF 46.96

-62.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$57.5 CHF 45.51

-48.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$88.9 CHF 70.3

-41.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$65.1 CHF 51.5

-71.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$27.58 CHF 21.82

-81.98%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$2,847 CHF 2,252

-93.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$39.3K CHF 31.1K

-86.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$142 CHF 112

-74.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$62.5 CHF 49.46

-35.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$149 CHF 118

-46.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$200 CHF 159

-55.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,669 CHF 1,320

-42.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,442 CHF 1,141

-67.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,880 CHF 2,278

-44.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$2,497 CHF 1,975

-51.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

-72.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$10.6K CHF 8,399

-39.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$8,496 CHF 6,720

-91.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.09

446.41%

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 Meilen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,669 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 1079% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $150 in Meilen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $669 – 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 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,325 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 264% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,847 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 $1,287, than in Meilen at $3,550. 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 $1,287 versus $3,550 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.