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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,941 in Olten, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,458 in Olten, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,975 in Olten, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 56% cheaper than Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Olten is 119% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$30.87 CHF 24.36

-62.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$105 CHF 82.9

-60.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$17.57 CHF 13.86

-39.44%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$5.47 CHF 4.31

-35.65%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$5.34 CHF 4.22

-71.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$4.62 CHF 3.65

-79.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$6.88 CHF 5.43

-57.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$6.29 CHF 4.97

-29.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$2.09 CHF 1.65

-33.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$3.40 CHF 2.68

-44.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$4.12 CHF 3.26

-60.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$7.54 CHF 5.95

-66.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$21.64 CHF 17.07

-61.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$25.89 CHF 20.43

-67.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$40.22 CHF 31.74

-73.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$4.04 CHF 3.19

-35.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-39.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$2.97 CHF 2.35

-36.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$5.05 CHF 3.99

-58.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$2.75 CHF 2.17

-35.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$2.37 CHF 1.87

-7.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$2.46 CHF 1.94

-57.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.52 CHF 1.20

-28.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$10.95 CHF 8.64

-62.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.42 CHF 12.17

-33.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$2.42 CHF 1.91

6.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.93 CHF 3.10

-87.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$100 CHF 79.0

-73.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$7.53 CHF 5.94

-56.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$4.14 CHF 3.27

-39.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$61.5 CHF 48.53

-94.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$2.28 CHF 1.80

-42.54%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$40.7K CHF 32.1K

-25.53%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

-40.40%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$260 CHF 205

-68.15%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$33.65 CHF 26.56

-33.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$57.7 CHF 45.54

-49.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$61.3 CHF 48.36

-15.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$18.65 CHF 14.72

-1.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$24.88 CHF 19.64

-79.62%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$3,433 CHF 2,709

-94.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

-86.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$141 CHF 111

-73.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$61.2 CHF 48.33

-35.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$150 CHF 118

-47.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$198 CHF 156

-56.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,248 CHF 985

-22.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$1,063 CHF 839

-56.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,987 CHF 1,568

-17.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,708 CHF 1,348

-28.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,351 CHF 3,433

-84.74%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Olten: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,248 in Olten. 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 555% higher in Olten, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $105 in Olten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $576 – 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 Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olten costs about 127% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,411 in Olten. 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.

Groceries cost about 131% more in Olten, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $105 in Olten. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Olten at $2,941. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Olten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $2,941 in Olten. 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, Olten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.