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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,801 in Solothurn, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,577 in Solothurn, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,353 in Solothurn, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 53% cheaper than Solothurn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Solothurn is 103% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$30.41 CHF 24.82

-60.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$149 CHF 122

-68.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$18.46 CHF 15.06

-36.35%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$6.68 CHF 5.45

-38.32%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$5.63 CHF 4.60

-75.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$5.36 CHF 4.37

-83.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$6.92 CHF 5.65

-53.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$6.23 CHF 5.08

13.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.23 CHF 1.82

-24.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.82 CHF 3.12

-43.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.53 CHF 2.88

-49.86%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$8.83 CHF 7.20

-68.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$22.83 CHF 18.63

-59.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$26.51 CHF 21.64

-65.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$61.7 CHF 50.3

-79.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.96 CHF 2.41

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.45 CHF 1.18

8.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.52 CHF 2.87

-36.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.22 CHF 3.45

-44.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.67 CHF 1.36

19.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.78 CHF 1.45

11.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.63 CHF 1.33

-23.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.00 CHF 0.81

21.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$11.32 CHF 9.24

-59.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.32 CHF 10.87

-21.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.89 CHF 2.36

-41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.27 CHF 2.67

-15.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$4.85 CHF 3.96

-87.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$8.46 CHF 6.91

-38.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$4.75 CHF 3.88

-23.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$92.5 CHF 75.5

-93.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$2.36 CHF 1.93

-34.75%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$31.4K CHF 25.6K

-27.41%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$36.2K CHF 29.5K

-28.62%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$98.0 CHF 80.0

-7.52%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$30.80 CHF 25.13

-18.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$58.5 CHF 47.73

-45.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$91.9 CHF 75.0

-25.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$17.25 CHF 14.08

70.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$18.52 CHF 15.11

-73.76%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$3,692 CHF 3,013

-93.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$19.4K CHF 15.9K

-78.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$143 CHF 117

-66.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$43.91 CHF 35.84

-1.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$171 CHF 139

-52.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$258 CHF 210

-64.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,201 CHF 980

-9.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,072 CHF 875

-61.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,861 CHF 1,519

5.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,815 CHF 1,482

-29.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$9,687 CHF 7,906

-58.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$5,010 CHF 4,089

33.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$6,908 CHF 5,637

-88.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.07

453.14%

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 Solothurn: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,201 in Solothurn. 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 793% higher in Solothurn, 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 $149 in Solothurn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $629 – 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 Solothurn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Solothurn is pricier by about 115%, 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 $4,202 in Solothurn. 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 $2,801 in Solothurn. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,692 in Solothurn. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Solothurn at $2,801. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Solothurn 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, Solothurn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.