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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,522 in Riehen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,312 in Riehen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,102 in Riehen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 64% cheaper than Riehen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Riehen is 164% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$30.28 CHF 24.53

-60.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$143 CHF 116

-70.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$18.43 CHF 14.93

-41.67%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$6.12 CHF 4.96

-42.81%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$5.34 CHF 4.33

-72.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$4.96 CHF 4.02

-82.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$8.36 CHF 6.77

-64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.58 CHF 6.14

-40.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.23 CHF 1.81

-35.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.47 CHF 2.81

-46.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.18 CHF 3.38

-62.44%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$7.37 CHF 5.97

-65.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$28.47 CHF 23.06

-70.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$32.98 CHF 26.71

-74.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$48.25 CHF 39.08

-77.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.74 CHF 3.03

-30.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.29 CHF 1.86

-37.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.94 CHF 2.39

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.38 CHF 5.17

-67.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.52 CHF 2.04

-26.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.35 CHF 1.90

-7.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.50 CHF 2.03

-58.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.37 CHF 1.11

-21.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$11.16 CHF 9.04

-63.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.91 CHF 10.45

-21.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.44 CHF 1.97

-31.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.34 CHF 2.71

-24.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.82 CHF 3.09

-86.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$99.8 CHF 80.9

-73.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$7.67 CHF 6.22

-57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$4.30 CHF 3.48

-43.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$79.0 CHF 64.0

-95.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.17 CHF 1.76

-39.17%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$40.9K CHF 33.2K

-27.45%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$42.0K CHF 34.0K

-43.64%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$260 CHF 211

-68.47%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$49.27 CHF 39.91

-53.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$58.7 CHF 47.57

-48.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$87.2 CHF 70.7

-40.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$25.80 CHF 20.90

-28.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$22.94 CHF 18.58

-78.29%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$2,889 CHF 2,340

-93.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$34.8K CHF 28.2K

-84.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$136 CHF 110

-73.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$67.2 CHF 54.5

-40.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$146 CHF 119

-46.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$190 CHF 154

-53.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,701 CHF 1,377

-44.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,440 CHF 1,166

-67.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,866 CHF 2,321

-42.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$2,496 CHF 2,022

-51.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$14.0K CHF 11.4K

-71.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$12.2K CHF 9,913

-47.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$8,551 CHF 6,927

-92.35%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Riehen: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,701 in Riehen. 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 1208% higher in Riehen, 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 $143 in Riehen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $658 – 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 Riehen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riehen is pricier by about 180%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,283 in Riehen. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $3,522 in Riehen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 283% 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 $1,256, than in Riehen at $3,522. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riehen 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, Riehen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.