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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,016 in Rheinfelden, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,851 in Rheinfelden, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,686 in Rheinfelden, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 37% cheaper than Rheinfelden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Rheinfelden is 47% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$30.19 CHF 24.81

-61.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$121 CHF 99.3

-61.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$18.14 CHF 14.91

-34.51%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$6.19 CHF 5.09

-35.70%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$5.56 CHF 4.57

-74.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$4.89 CHF 4.02

-83.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$8.40 CHF 6.91

-62.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.69 CHF 5.50

1.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.29 CHF 1.88

-26.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$3.89 CHF 3.19

-43.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$4.64 CHF 3.81

-63.15%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$7.57 CHF 6.22

-63.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$26.52 CHF 21.80

-63.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$27.83 CHF 22.87

-67.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$43.91 CHF 36.09

-70.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$4.18 CHF 3.43

-30.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$2.17 CHF 1.79

-30.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.96 CHF 2.43

-27.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$5.27 CHF 4.33

-57.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.76 CHF 1.45

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.97 CHF 1.62

1.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$2.26 CHF 1.86

-45.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.23 CHF 1.01

-2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$11.54 CHF 9.48

-60.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$12.46 CHF 10.24

-16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$3.02 CHF 2.49

-46.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$4.19 CHF 3.45

-31.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$3.76 CHF 3.09

-84.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$121 CHF 99.7

-76.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$5.55 CHF 4.56

-2.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$3.47 CHF 2.85

7.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$60.8 CHF 49.99

-90.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$2.20 CHF 1.81

-30.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$42.8K CHF 35.2K

-47.37%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$39.1K CHF 32.1K

-33.39%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$242 CHF 199

-62.17%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$48.90 CHF 40.18

-48.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$65.4 CHF 53.8

-52.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$105 CHF 86.7

-36.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$23.38 CHF 19.22

-79.21%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$2,972 CHF 2,443

-92.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$32.5K CHF 26.7K

-87.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$149 CHF 122

-68.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$79.8 CHF 65.6

-44.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$167 CHF 138

-52.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$200 CHF 165

-53.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$2,295 CHF 1,886

-6.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$3,054 CHF 2,510

-58.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.43

371.19%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Rheinfelden: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $121 in Rheinfelden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $615 – 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 Rheinfelden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rheinfelden is pricier by about 59%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,024 in Rheinfelden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $2,016 in Rheinfelden. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 321% 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 $1,266, than in Rheinfelden at $2,016. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rheinfelden 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, Rheinfelden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.