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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,537 in Riehen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,310 in Riehen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,083 in Riehen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 63% cheaper than Riehen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Riehen is 156% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$30.68 CHF 25.04

-61.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$121 CHF 98.9

-60.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$16.03 CHF 13.08

-26.70%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$6.21 CHF 5.07

-33.66%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$5.21 CHF 4.25

-73.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$5.56 CHF 4.54

-83.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$7.28 CHF 5.94

-55.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$6.99 CHF 5.71

1.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.22 CHF 1.82

-24.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.37 CHF 2.75

-36.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.44 CHF 2.80

-48.55%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$7.19 CHF 5.87

-60.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$25.37 CHF 20.70

-63.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$26.22 CHF 21.39

-64.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$37.62 CHF 30.70

-66.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.48 CHF 2.84

-15.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.75 CHF 1.42

-9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.55 CHF 2.08

-12.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.63 CHF 3.78

-49.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.83 CHF 1.49

8.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.02 CHF 1.65

-1.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-45.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.27 CHF 1.03

-4.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$10.97 CHF 8.95

-58.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$10.32 CHF 8.42

1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$3.54 CHF 2.89

-52.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.39 CHF 1.95

15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$4.48 CHF 3.66

-86.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$101 CHF 82.2

-70.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$10.18 CHF 8.30

-48.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$4.00 CHF 3.27

-8.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$74.4 CHF 60.7

-92.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-32.46%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

-46.21%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$40.3K CHF 32.9K

-35.91%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$349 CHF 284

-73.98%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$42.75 CHF 34.89

-41.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$59.0 CHF 48.13

-46.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$92.0 CHF 75.1

-25.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$46.74 CHF 38.14

-37.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$21.73 CHF 17.73

-77.63%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$1,830 CHF 1,493

-87.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$37.7K CHF 30.8K

-88.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$101 CHF 82.7

-53.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$58.5 CHF 47.76

-25.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$167 CHF 136

-51.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$192 CHF 156

-52.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,765 CHF 1,440

-38.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,497 CHF 1,222

-72.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$3,532 CHF 2,883

-44.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$2,502 CHF 2,042

-48.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$16.3K CHF 13.3K

-75.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$10.7K CHF 8,728

-37.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$8,610 CHF 7,026

-91.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.31

395.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Riehen: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,765 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 1013% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $121 in Riehen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $557 – 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 171%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,305 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $3,537 in Riehen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 239% 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 $1,305, than in Riehen at $3,537. 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.