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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,525 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,499 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,473 in Meilen, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Meilen is 162% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$31.08 CHF 24.67

-61.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$145 CHF 115

-70.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$18.50 CHF 14.69

-42.43%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$6.37 CHF 5.06

-45.84%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$5.87 CHF 4.66

-74.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$5.13 CHF 4.07

-81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$8.38 CHF 6.65

-63.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$7.27 CHF 5.77

-36.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.31 CHF 1.83

-40.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.29 CHF 2.61

-43.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$4.05 CHF 3.21

-60.25%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$7.53 CHF 5.98

-65.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$29.71 CHF 23.58

-72.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$33.41 CHF 26.52

-74.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$50.4 CHF 40.01

-78.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$4.23 CHF 3.36

-37.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-38.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.99 CHF 2.37

-35.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$5.18 CHF 4.11

-59.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-25.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.24 CHF 1.78

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-57.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.13 CHF 0.90

-3.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$11.01 CHF 8.74

-62.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$15.27 CHF 12.12

-31.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.16 CHF 1.71

-20.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.29 CHF 1.82

13.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$3.83 CHF 3.04

-85.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$96.8 CHF 76.8

-72.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$6.63 CHF 5.26

-52.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$4.11 CHF 3.26

-38.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$81.5 CHF 64.7

-96.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-43.30%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$39.6K CHF 31.4K

-23.32%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

-39.45%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$256 CHF 203

-67.54%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$58.4 CHF 46.34

-61.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$58.8 CHF 46.71

-49.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$88.9 CHF 70.5

-42.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$64.7 CHF 51.4

-71.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$27.31 CHF 21.68

-81.95%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$2,795 CHF 2,219

-92.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$40.1K CHF 31.8K

-86.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$140 CHF 111

-73.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$61.6 CHF 48.92

-35.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$147 CHF 116

-45.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$205 CHF 163

-56.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$1,728 CHF 1,372

-44.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$1,468 CHF 1,165

-67.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$2,884 CHF 2,290

-42.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$2,465 CHF 1,957

-50.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$24.8K CHF 19.7K

-84.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$11.9K CHF 9,462

-45.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$8,694 CHF 6,902

-92.33%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Meilen: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,728 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 1204% 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 $145 in Meilen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $665 – 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 177% 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,287 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 259% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,795 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 $1,271, than in Meilen at $3,525. 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 $1,271 versus $3,525 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.