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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,390 in Rapperswil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,153 in Rapperswil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,915 in Rapperswil, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 62% cheaper than Rapperswil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Rapperswil is 146% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$24.98 CHF 20.39

-52.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$98.7 CHF 80.6

-52.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$16.65 CHF 13.58

-29.43%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$6.31 CHF 5.15

-34.71%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$4.97 CHF 4.06

-71.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$4.81 CHF 3.93

-81.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$8.81 CHF 7.19

-63.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$6.15 CHF 5.02

14.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.24 CHF 1.83

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.49 CHF 2.85

-38.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$4.33 CHF 3.53

-59.12%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$7.98 CHF 6.51

-64.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$27.06 CHF 22.08

-66.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$26.59 CHF 21.70

-65.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$40.99 CHF 33.45

-69.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.69 CHF 3.01

-20.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.11 CHF 1.72

-25.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.63 CHF 2.15

-15.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.81 CHF 3.93

-50.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.09 CHF 1.71

-4.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-13.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.49 CHF 2.03

-50.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.39 CHF 1.13

-12.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$11.15 CHF 9.10

-58.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.57 CHF 11.08

-22.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.82 CHF 2.30

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$4.25 CHF 3.47

-85.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$104 CHF 85.3

-71.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$7.67 CHF 6.26

-31.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$5.08 CHF 4.15

-28.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$88.8 CHF 72.4

-93.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-32.46%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$43.2K CHF 35.2K

-47.19%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

-34.91%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$238 CHF 194

-61.88%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$32.75 CHF 26.73

-23.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$67.8 CHF 55.3

-53.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$82.5 CHF 67.3

-16.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$46.95 CHF 38.31

-37.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$22.15 CHF 18.08

-78.06%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$2,865 CHF 2,338

-92.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$45.2K CHF 36.9K

-90.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$142 CHF 116

-66.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$88.2 CHF 72.0

-50.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$149 CHF 122

-46.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$177 CHF 144

-48.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,906 CHF 1,556

-43.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,503 CHF 1,226

-72.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$2,946 CHF 2,404

-33.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$2,475 CHF 2,020

-48.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$17.2K CHF 14.0K

-76.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$11.6K CHF 9,443

-42.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.72

565.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Rapperswil: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,906 in Rapperswil. 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 $99.0 in Rapperswil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $591 – 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 Rapperswil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rapperswil is pricier by about 160%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,085 in Rapperswil. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $3,390 in Rapperswil. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 252% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Rapperswil at $3,390. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rapperswil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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