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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,569 in Wildhaus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,504 in Wildhaus, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,438 in Wildhaus, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Wildhaus is 166% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67 MX$202
$37.66 CHF 29.52
-69.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88 MX$726
$141 CHF 110
-70.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.40 MX$180
$16.22 CHF 12.71
-35.88%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.6
$6.47 CHF 5.07
-44.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.45
$5.38 CHF 4.22
-72.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.80
$4.18 CHF 3.28
-78.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$8.53 CHF 6.69
-64.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 MX$77.4
$7.30 CHF 5.72
-38.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.83
$2.22 CHF 1.74
-37.84%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.93
$3.71 CHF 2.91
-50.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.82
$4.27 CHF 3.34
-62.30%
Eggs
$2.57 MX$44.52
$7.71 CHF 6.05
-66.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$31.00 CHF 24.30
-72.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$35.26 CHF 27.64
-75.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.99 MX$190
$51.3 CHF 40.21
-78.57%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.25
$3.69 CHF 2.89
-26.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.92
$2.31 CHF 1.81
-35.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.93
$2.85 CHF 2.23
-31.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.70
$6.39 CHF 5.01
-66.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.30
$2.40 CHF 1.88
-22.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.67
$2.48 CHF 1.95
-12.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.59
$2.70 CHF 2.12
-60.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$18.18
$1.28 CHF 1.01
-17.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.6
$11.00 CHF 8.63
-61.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.28 MX$178
$14.28 CHF 11.19
-28.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.87
$2.52 CHF 1.97
-33.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 MX$43.12
$3.41 CHF 2.67
-26.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$3.95 CHF 3.10
-86.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.27 MX$455
$100 CHF 78.8
-73.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 MX$53.8
$8.07 CHF 6.32
-61.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.66
$4.21 CHF 3.30
-41.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.1
$90.0 CHF 70.5
-96.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.83
$2.16 CHF 1.70
-41.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$522.8K
$39.9K CHF 31.3K
-24.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$406.3K
$42.7K CHF 33.4K
-45.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 MX$1,456
$244 CHF 191
-65.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 MX$385
$73.8 CHF 57.9
-69.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65 MX$514
$57.4 CHF 45.00
-48.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 MX$912
$88.1 CHF 69.1
-40.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34 MX$318
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.95 MX$85.7
$22.27 CHF 17.46
-77.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,438
$2,894 CHF 2,269
-93.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,322 MX$92.2K
$42.9K CHF 33.6K
-87.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95 MX$623
$141 CHF 111
-74.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06 MX$694
$76.5 CHF 60.0
-47.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,365
$130 CHF 102
-39.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,499
$163 CHF 127
-46.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 MX$16.9K
$1,697 CHF 1,331
-42.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 MX$8,158
$1,463 CHF 1,147
-67.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
$2,808 CHF 2,201
-43.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 MX$21.1K
$2,495 CHF 1,956
-51.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,032 MX$69.9K
$12.2K CHF 9,577
-66.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,579 MX$114.0K
$11.3K CHF 8,851
-41.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Wildhaus
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$714 MX$12.4K
-
-
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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Wildhaus: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,697 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $141 in Wildhaus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $692 – 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 183%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,354 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 vs Wildhaus?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $3,569 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 282% 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 Playa del Carmen or Wildhaus?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Wildhaus at $3,569. 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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