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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,824 in Solothurn, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,426 in Solothurn, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,029 in Solothurn, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Solothurn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Solothurn is 111% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$30.88 CHF 24.43

-62.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$143 CHF 113

-70.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$20.70 CHF 16.37

-48.60%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$6.63 CHF 5.24

-46.91%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$5.61 CHF 4.44

-73.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$5.13 CHF 4.06

-81.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$6.64 CHF 5.26

-55.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$6.24 CHF 4.94

-28.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.26 CHF 1.79

-38.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.43 CHF 2.71

-44.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.39 CHF 2.68

-51.62%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$7.47 CHF 5.91

-66.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$29.54 CHF 23.37

-71.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$30.76 CHF 24.33

-72.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$38.99 CHF 30.85

-72.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$4.22 CHF 3.34

-38.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.90 CHF 2.29

-49.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.12 CHF 2.47

-39.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$4.34 CHF 3.44

-52.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.93 CHF 1.53

-7.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.02 CHF 1.60

8.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.50 CHF 1.98

-58.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.06 CHF 0.84

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$11.30 CHF 8.94

-63.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$10.27 CHF 8.12

0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.65 CHF 2.10

-35.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.43 CHF 1.92

6.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$3.60 CHF 2.85

-85.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$98.1 CHF 77.6

-73.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$7.67 CHF 6.07

-57.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$4.19 CHF 3.31

-40.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$73.1 CHF 57.8

-95.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$2.30 CHF 1.82

-43.04%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$38.3K CHF 30.3K

-20.86%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$37.8K CHF 29.9K

-37.99%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$100 CHF 79.1

-17.15%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$30.95 CHF 24.49

-28.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$57.8 CHF 45.69

-49.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$74.0 CHF 58.5

-30.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$24.25 CHF 19.18

-24.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$24.39 CHF 19.30

-79.21%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$3,424 CHF 2,709

-94.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$19.8K CHF 15.6K

-73.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$140 CHF 111

-73.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$42.53 CHF 33.65

-6.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$99.3 CHF 78.5

-20.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$188 CHF 149

-53.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$1,265 CHF 1,001

-23.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$1,065 CHF 843

-56.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,854 CHF 1,467

-11.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,755 CHF 1,389

-30.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$10.3K CHF 8,116

-61.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$5,092 CHF 4,028

27.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$7,149 CHF 5,655

-90.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.09

446.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Solothurn: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,265 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 977% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $143 in Solothurn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $604 – 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 118%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,236 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $2,824 in Solothurn. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 271% 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 $1,297, than in Solothurn at $2,824. 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.