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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,169 in Olten, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,940 in Olten, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,712 in Olten, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 59% cheaper than Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Olten is 131% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$34.18 CHF 27.65

-65.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$123 CHF 99.9

-62.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$17.95 CHF 14.52

-35.10%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$6.59 CHF 5.33

-37.94%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$5.56 CHF 4.50

-75.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$5.52 CHF 4.46

-84.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$9.34 CHF 7.56

-64.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$7.56 CHF 6.12

-8.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$2.27 CHF 1.83

-23.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$3.99 CHF 3.22

-43.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$3.89 CHF 3.15

-54.50%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$8.76 CHF 7.09

-68.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$25.96 CHF 21.00

-64.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$27.37 CHF 22.14

-67.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$47.48 CHF 38.42

-73.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$4.25 CHF 3.44

-28.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$2.83 CHF 2.29

-44.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$3.07 CHF 2.48

-30.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$4.86 CHF 3.93

-53.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$2.68 CHF 2.17

-25.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-7.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$2.49 CHF 2.01

-52.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.30 CHF 1.05

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$11.06 CHF 8.95

-58.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$13.74 CHF 11.12

-22.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$2.74 CHF 2.22

-40.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$3.16 CHF 2.55

-8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$5.41 CHF 4.37

-89.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$109 CHF 88.6

-72.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$8.24 CHF 6.67

-33.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$4.80 CHF 3.88

-22.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$90.3 CHF 73.0

-93.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$2.28 CHF 1.85

-32.02%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-45.04%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$39.9K CHF 32.3K

-34.94%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$287 CHF 233

-68.99%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$34.09 CHF 27.58

-26.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$49.15 CHF 39.76

-35.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$82.9 CHF 67.1

-18.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$21.24 CHF 17.18

-76.22%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$3,643 CHF 2,947

-93.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

-90.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$143 CHF 115

-66.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$60.4 CHF 48.88

-25.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$168 CHF 136

-51.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$219 CHF 178

-58.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,260 CHF 1,020

-15.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$1,058 CHF 856

-61.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,984 CHF 1,605

-2.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,954 CHF 1,581

-33.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$4,404 CHF 3,563

-83.00%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Olten: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,260 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 488% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $123 in Olten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $631 – 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 145% 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,754 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 128% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $123 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 $1,293, than in Olten at $3,169. 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 $1,293 versus $3,169 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.