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 $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,241 in Rapperswil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,956 in Rapperswil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,672 in Rapperswil, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 61% cheaper than Rapperswil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

$11.95 MX$209

$30.47 CHF 24.91

-60.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$734

$115 CHF 94.3

-63.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$18.60 CHF 15.21

-43.98%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.5

$5.38 CHF 4.40

-34.76%

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

$1.52 MX$26.53

$5.46 CHF 4.47

-72.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.93

$5.07 CHF 4.15

-82.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.2

$7.61 CHF 6.22

-60.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.5

$6.33 CHF 5.17

-30.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.86

$1.14 CHF 0.93

24.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$32.03

$1.09 CHF 0.89

67.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.60

$2.45 CHF 2.00

-33.47%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.43

$3.80 CHF 3.10

-33.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

$27.52 CHF 22.51

-68.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$149

$31.81 CHF 26.01

-73.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

$37.08 CHF 30.32

-70.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.19

$2.49 CHF 2.04

10.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.13

$1.86 CHF 1.52

-22.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.00

$2.52 CHF 2.06

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.96

$2.53 CHF 2.07

-14.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.13

$1.82 CHF 1.49

-2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.91

$1.89 CHF 1.54

17.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$2.62 CHF 2.14

-59.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.89

$0.61 CHF 0.50

77.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$10.98 CHF 8.98

-62.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

$13.70 CHF 11.21

-23.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.50

$0.84 CHF 0.69

107.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.16

$2.31 CHF 1.88

11.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.98

$3.87 CHF 3.16

-86.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$454

$98.4 CHF 80.5

-73.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.2

$6.93 CHF 5.66

-53.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.78

$4.34 CHF 3.55

-42.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.7

$80.0 CHF 65.4

-96.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.98

$2.13 CHF 1.74

-40.85%

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

$29.7K MX$519.3K

$40.7K CHF 33.3K

-27.08%

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

$23.7K MX$414.3K

$42.0K CHF 34.3K

-43.56%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$334 CHF 274

-75.48%

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

$22.73 MX$398

$60.1 CHF 49.13

-62.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$515

$54.2 CHF 44.32

-45.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$913

$88.9 CHF 72.7

-41.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.3

$22.28 CHF 18.22

-77.87%

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

$202 MX$3,530

$2,817 CHF 2,304

-92.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.3K

$34.3K CHF 28.1K

-84.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$629

$120 CHF 98.0

-70.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$706

$36.87 CHF 30.15

9.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,397

$100 CHF 81.9

-20.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,562

$61.9 CHF 50.6

44.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

$1,687 CHF 1,379

-43.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,140

$1,493 CHF 1,221

-68.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

$2,863 CHF 2,341

-43.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.9K

$2,444 CHF 1,998

-51.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.8K

$17.7K CHF 14.5K

-77.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.4K

$14.2K CHF 11.6K

-54.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$8,341 CHF 6,821

-92.11%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Rapperswil: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,687 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 1167% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $115 in Rapperswil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $510 – 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 157%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,862 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $3,241 in Rapperswil. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 279% 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 $1,259, than in Rapperswil at $3,241. 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.