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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,251 in Rapperswil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,906 in Rapperswil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,562 in Rapperswil, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 61% cheaper than Rapperswil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Rapperswil is 143% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$30.61 CHF 24.00

-61.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$116 CHF 90.6

-63.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$18.50 CHF 14.51

-43.78%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$5.57 CHF 4.37

-35.19%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$5.46 CHF 4.28

-73.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$4.98 CHF 3.90

-81.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$7.31 CHF 5.73

-58.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$6.12 CHF 4.80

-26.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.15 CHF 0.90

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.09 CHF 0.85

68.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$2.39 CHF 1.87

-32.64%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$3.60 CHF 2.82

-28.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$27.64 CHF 21.67

-69.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$31.79 CHF 24.92

-73.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$36.72 CHF 28.79

-70.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.47 CHF 1.94

10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.82 CHF 1.42

-17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$2.50 CHF 1.96

-21.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$2.52 CHF 1.98

-15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.87 CHF 1.47

-0.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.81 CHF 1.42

19.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$2.61 CHF 2.04

-59.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.65 CHF 0.51

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$10.77 CHF 8.45

-61.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$11.65 CHF 9.13

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$0.83 CHF 0.65

101.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.30 CHF 1.81

8.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.86 CHF 3.03

-86.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$97.1 CHF 76.1

-72.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$6.76 CHF 5.30

-54.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$4.19 CHF 3.28

-41.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$79.6 CHF 62.4

-95.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$2.13 CHF 1.67

-40.85%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$41.0K CHF 32.2K

-26.44%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$41.9K CHF 32.8K

-44.00%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$326 CHF 256

-74.25%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$59.8 CHF 46.84

-62.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$53.2 CHF 41.70

-44.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$86.3 CHF 67.7

-39.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$22.04 CHF 17.28

-77.54%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$2,842 CHF 2,228

-93.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$34.9K CHF 27.3K

-84.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$121 CHF 95.0

-70.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$36.59 CHF 28.68

9.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$100 CHF 78.7

-21.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$61.5 CHF 48.20

40.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$1,700 CHF 1,333

-42.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$1,458 CHF 1,143

-67.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$2,840 CHF 2,227

-43.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$2,510 CHF 1,968

-51.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$12.0K CHF 9,409

-66.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$9,897 CHF 7,759

-33.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$8,603 CHF 6,745

-91.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.5

356.80%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Rapperswil: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,700 in Rapperswil. 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 1105% higher in Rapperswil, 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $116 in Rapperswil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $504 – 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 158%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,876 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $3,251 in Rapperswil. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 270% 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 $1,261, than in Rapperswil at $3,251. 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.