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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,609 in Wildhaus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,602 in Wildhaus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,594 in Wildhaus, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 65% cheaper than Wildhaus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Wildhaus is 164% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 MX$200
$37.42 CHF 30.75
-69.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11 MX$811
$149 CHF 123
-68.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.88 MX$205
$18.44 CHF 15.15
-35.57%
Cappuccino
$3.98 MX$68.5
$7.41 CHF 6.09
-46.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.57
$6.11 CHF 5.03
-76.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$14.20
$5.59 CHF 4.59
-85.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$54.9
$9.71 CHF 7.98
-67.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 MX$117
$8.80 CHF 7.24
-22.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.85
$2.17 CHF 1.78
-22.58%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$37.83
$3.99 CHF 3.28
-44.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.41
$3.85 CHF 3.17
-55.58%
Eggs
$2.74 MX$47.20
$8.57 CHF 7.04
-68.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 MX$165
$27.37 CHF 22.49
-65.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 MX$155
$27.13 CHF 22.30
-66.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 MX$221
$60.1 CHF 49.43
-78.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 MX$49.74
$4.18 CHF 3.43
-30.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.78
$2.92 CHF 2.40
-48.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$36.98
$3.62 CHF 2.97
-40.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.91
$4.73 CHF 3.89
-52.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$34.10
$2.63 CHF 2.16
-24.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.26
$2.31 CHF 1.89
-13.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 MX$21.25
$2.54 CHF 2.09
-51.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.60
$1.30 CHF 1.07
-7.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 MX$78.3
$11.26 CHF 9.25
-59.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$179
$13.34 CHF 10.97
-22.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.88
$2.89 CHF 2.37
-43.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$49.60
$3.21 CHF 2.64
-10.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.34
$4.38 CHF 3.60
-86.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.80 MX$496
$99.3 CHF 81.6
-71.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$92.8
$8.26 CHF 6.78
-34.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.73 MX$64.2
$4.63 CHF 3.81
-19.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 MX$99.3
$92.1 CHF 75.7
-93.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.45
$2.29 CHF 1.88
-32.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$388.3K
$40.4K CHF 33.2K
-44.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$448.7K
$39.5K CHF 32.5K
-34.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.4 MX$1,573
$288 CHF 237
-68.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20 MX$434
$39.70 CHF 32.62
-36.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24 MX$538
$57.6 CHF 47.34
-45.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 MX$1,157
$93.4 CHF 76.7
-28.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 MX$501
$47.39 CHF 38.94
-38.57%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$83.7
$24.87 CHF 20.44
-80.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 MX$3,851
$3,686 CHF 3,029
-93.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,229 MX$72.8K
$43.9K CHF 36.1K
-90.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10 MX$811
$146 CHF 120
-67.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29 MX$763
$59.3 CHF 48.72
-25.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 MX$1,379
$170 CHF 140
-52.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 MX$1,596
$259 CHF 213
-64.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$18.3K
$1,747 CHF 1,436
-39.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,719
$1,462 CHF 1,202
-73.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 MX$37.0K
$2,929 CHF 2,407
-26.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 MX$21.9K
$2,535 CHF 2,084
-49.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,001 MX$68.9K
$16.4K CHF 13.5K
-75.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,502 MX$112.0K
$12.5K CHF 10.3K
-47.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.1K
-
-
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 12, 2026

Last update for Wildhaus: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,747 in Wildhaus. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $149 in Wildhaus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $672 – 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 Wildhaus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wildhaus cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Wildhaus is pricier by about 185%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,413 in Wildhaus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Wildhaus?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $3,609 in Wildhaus. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 245% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Wildhaus?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Wildhaus at $3,609. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wildhaus it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Wildhaus more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Wildhaus?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wildhaus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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