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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,973 in Olten, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,526 in Olten, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,078 in Olten, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 58% cheaper than Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Olten is 123% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$31.25 CHF 25.31

-61.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$103 CHF 83.2

-59.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$17.04 CHF 13.81

-36.91%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$5.51 CHF 4.46

-36.48%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$5.20 CHF 4.21

-72.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$4.51 CHF 3.65

-80.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.27 CHF 5.89

-59.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$6.26 CHF 5.07

-27.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.07 CHF 1.67

-30.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.42 CHF 2.77

-46.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.08 CHF 3.30

-61.52%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$7.52 CHF 6.09

-66.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$21.94 CHF 17.77

-62.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$25.36 CHF 20.54

-66.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$40.38 CHF 32.70

-73.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$4.22 CHF 3.42

-38.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.52 CHF 2.04

-42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-35.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$5.04 CHF 4.08

-58.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.73 CHF 2.21

-32.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.30 CHF 1.86

-5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-59.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.49 CHF 1.21

-28.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$11.01 CHF 8.92

-62.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$13.29 CHF 10.76

-23.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.07 CHF 1.67

-18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.43 CHF 1.97

4.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.86 CHF 3.13

-86.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$98.2 CHF 79.6

-73.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$7.74 CHF 6.27

-58.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$4.21 CHF 3.41

-42.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$62.7 CHF 50.8

-94.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-41.07%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

-25.24%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-40.79%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$254 CHF 206

-67.75%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$33.62 CHF 27.24

-31.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$58.1 CHF 47.04

-48.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$62.4 CHF 50.5

-16.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$18.77 CHF 15.21

-1.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$25.09 CHF 20.32

-80.15%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$3,456 CHF 2,799

-94.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

-86.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$139 CHF 113

-74.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$60.7 CHF 49.15

-33.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$146 CHF 118

-46.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$198 CHF 160

-55.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,256 CHF 1,017

-24.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,048 CHF 849

-54.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,956 CHF 1,585

-15.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,697 CHF 1,374

-28.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

-72.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

-48.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$4,205 CHF 3,406

-84.45%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Olten: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,256 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 543% 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 $103 in Olten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $571 – 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 137% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,460 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 130% 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 $103 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 $1,256, than in Olten at $2,973. 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 $1,256 versus $2,973 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.