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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,526 in Muralto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,328 in Muralto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,129 in Muralto, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Muralto is 158% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$31.17 CHF 25.62

-62.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$123 CHF 101

-61.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$18.46 CHF 15.17

-35.64%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$6.34 CHF 5.21

-37.22%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$5.41 CHF 4.45

-73.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$4.81 CHF 3.95

-82.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$9.12 CHF 7.50

-65.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.20 CHF 5.92

-5.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.18 CHF 1.80

-22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$3.67 CHF 3.01

-40.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$3.72 CHF 3.06

-54.03%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$8.08 CHF 6.64

-66.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$26.56 CHF 21.83

-63.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$27.42 CHF 22.53

-67.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$41.46 CHF 34.07

-69.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$3.67 CHF 3.01

-21.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$2.05 CHF 1.69

-26.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.81 CHF 2.31

-23.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$4.94 CHF 4.06

-54.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.84 CHF 1.51

7.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.16 CHF 1.77

-7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$2.36 CHF 1.94

-47.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.28 CHF 1.05

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$11.08 CHF 9.10

-58.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.15 CHF 10.80

-21.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$2.88 CHF 2.37

-43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$3.17 CHF 2.61

-9.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$4.47 CHF 3.68

-86.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$102 CHF 83.6

-71.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$7.94 CHF 6.52

-32.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$4.76 CHF 3.91

-21.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$81.4 CHF 66.9

-92.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$2.20 CHF 1.81

-30.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$43.0K CHF 35.4K

-47.59%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$40.2K CHF 33.1K

-35.24%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$290 CHF 238

-68.49%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$33.47 CHF 27.50

-24.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$58.6 CHF 48.15

-46.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$93.1 CHF 76.6

-27.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$46.66 CHF 38.34

-37.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$23.73 CHF 19.50

-79.52%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$2,669 CHF 2,193

-91.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$35.5K CHF 29.1K

-88.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$145 CHF 119

-67.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$60.9 CHF 50.1

-27.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$166 CHF 136

-51.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$193 CHF 158

-51.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,725 CHF 1,418

-38.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$1,479 CHF 1,215

-73.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$2,900 CHF 2,383

-25.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,481 CHF 2,039

-48.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$16.6K CHF 13.6K

-75.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$12.4K CHF 10.2K

-47.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.07

453.14%

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 Muralto: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,725 in Muralto. 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 $123 in Muralto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $595 – 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 Muralto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $3,526 in Muralto – roughly 179% apart. Muralto costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,289 in Muralto. 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 $2,669 in Muralto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 116% more in Muralto, 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 Muralto at $3,526. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Muralto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $3,526 in Muralto. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Muralto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.