Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Rheinfelden

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,992 in Rheinfelden, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. The total is higher in Rheinfelden despite lower rent and utilities.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Rheinfelden, Switzerland
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Rheinfelden
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$1,992
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Rheinfelden

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Rheinfelden actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,992 in Rheinfelden, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Rheinfelden $1,992

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,777 in Rheinfelden, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Rheinfelden $4,777

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,561 in Rheinfelden, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Rheinfelden $7,561

Playa del Carmen is about 40% cheaper than Rheinfelden, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 11% below the global median, while Rheinfelden is 47% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Rheinfelden
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$199
$29.99 CHF 24.49
-64.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$815
$121 CHF 98.6
-63.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$219
$17.98 CHF 14.68
-34.43%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$70.5
$5.83 CHF 4.76
-34.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.14
$5.40 CHF 4.41
-75.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.51
$4.90 CHF 4.00
-83.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$58.6
$8.69 CHF 7.10
-63.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.8
$6.85 CHF 5.59
-28.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Rheinfelden
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$2.32 CHF 1.89
-39.22%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$40.86
$3.75 CHF 3.06
-41.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.40
$4.49 CHF 3.67
-67.26%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.46
$7.06 CHF 5.77
-64.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$136
$26.16 CHF 21.35
-72.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$148
$27.11 CHF 22.13
-70.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$239
$42.52 CHF 34.71
-69.76%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.9
$3.89 CHF 3.18
-25.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.74
$2.11 CHF 1.72
-34.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.35
$2.96 CHF 2.42
-15.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.77
$5.51 CHF 4.50
-63.16%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.68
$1.56 CHF 1.28
29.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.42
$1.94 CHF 1.58
-2.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.30
$2.23 CHF 1.82
-48.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.05
$1.16 CHF 0.95
6.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$79.5
$11.41 CHF 9.31
-62.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$183
$12.15 CHF 9.92
-19.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.51
$2.96 CHF 2.42
-46.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.1
$3.04 CHF 2.48
-9.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Rheinfelden
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.58
$3.59 CHF 2.93
-85.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$510
$125 CHF 102
-78.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$88.6
$4.49 CHF 3.66
6.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$60.5
$2.91 CHF 2.38
11.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$100
$61.4 CHF 50.1
-91.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.44
$2.24 CHF 1.83
-31.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$394.8K
$39.6K CHF 32.4K
-46.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$432.9K
$40.3K CHF 32.9K
-42.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Rheinfelden
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,554
$245 CHF 200
-65.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$431
$46.21 CHF 37.73
-49.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$514
$63.7 CHF 52.0
-56.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Rheinfelden
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,050
$108 CHF 88.1
-47.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$525
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.1
$22.37 CHF 18.27
-77.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Rheinfelden
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,854
$3,042 CHF 2,483
-93.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$97.3K
$25.0K CHF 20.4K
-79.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Rheinfelden
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$809
$150 CHF 123
-71.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$792
$81.5 CHF 66.6
-47.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,354
$163 CHF 133
-55.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,645
$200 CHF 163
-55.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Rheinfelden
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.5K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,116
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.2K
$2,219 CHF 1,811
-24.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.1K
$2,988 CHF 2,439
-63.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$72.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$114.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Rheinfelden
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
2.36
385.17%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Rheinfelden: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Rheinfelden
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Rheinfelden
$597 132% $339
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Rheinfelden
$462 131% $262
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Rheinfelden
$355 164% $221
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Rheinfelden
$268 141% $156
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Rheinfelden
$153 130% $86
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Rheinfelden
$158 213% $107

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $121 in Rheinfelden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $597 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇨🇭 Rheinfelden
🕒 Local time
22:47 10:47 PM
04:47 4:47 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
13,360
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.95 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.816 CHF (1 CHF = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.919 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Rheinfelden 8,680 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Rheinfelden

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Rheinfelden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Rheinfelden?
Yes – Rheinfelden is pricier by about 66%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,988 in Rheinfelden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Rheinfelden?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $1,992 in Rheinfelden. That makes Playa del Carmen about 40% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 78% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Rheinfelden?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Rheinfelden at $1,992. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rheinfelden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Rheinfelden?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Playa del Carmen to $1,992 in Rheinfelden. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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