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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,422 per month in Riehen vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,275 per month in Riehen vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,127 per month in Riehen vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Riehen costs about 164% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riehen sits 155% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.79 CHF 24.27

$11.73 MX$203

162.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 113

$41.62 MX$720

243.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.19 CHF 14.34

$10.64 MX$184

70.96%

Cappuccino

$6.04 CHF 4.76

$3.52 MX$60.9

71.59%

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

$5.43 CHF 4.28

$1.51 MX$26.12

259.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.86

$0.97 MX$16.84

405.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 CHF 6.42

$2.95 MX$51.0

176.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 CHF 6.00

$4.45 MX$77.0

71.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.69

$1.38 MX$23.93

55.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 CHF 2.72

$1.89 MX$32.72

82.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 CHF 3.20

$1.64 MX$28.32

147.56%

Eggs

$7.43 CHF 5.86

$2.51 MX$43.34

196.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.12 CHF 22.96

$8.34 MX$144

249.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.42 CHF 26.35

$8.34 MX$144

300.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$46.83 CHF 36.92

$10.73 MX$186

336.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 CHF 2.92

$2.60 MX$45.04

42.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.79

$1.46 MX$25.20

55.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.35

$1.90 MX$32.87

57.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.44 CHF 5.07

$2.08 MX$35.91

209.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.90

$1.78 MX$30.71

35.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$2.19 MX$37.80

9.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$1.04 MX$17.99

141.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.08

$1.08 MX$18.62

26.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.26 CHF 8.87

$4.08 MX$70.6

175.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 CHF 9.63

$10.32 MX$178

18.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$1.71 MX$29.61

43.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.62

$2.58 MX$44.54

29.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.00 CHF 3.16

$0.51 MX$8.81

684.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.6 CHF 77.7

$26.46 MX$458

272.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 CHF 6.08

$3.26 MX$56.4

136.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 CHF 3.30

$2.49 MX$43.09

68.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.9 CHF 62.2

$3.25 MX$56.2

2328.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.75

$1.31 MX$22.61

69.47%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.1K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

34.44%

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

$42.0K CHF 33.1K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

79.22%

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

$264 CHF 208

$82.9 MX$1,433

218.51%

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

$48.79 CHF 38.46

$22.22 MX$384

119.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.0 CHF 45.73

$29.34 MX$507

97.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.7 CHF 69.1

$51.6 MX$893

69.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.41 CHF 20.04

$18.32 MX$317

38.70%

Cinema Ticket

$22.89 CHF 18.04

$5.07 MX$87.6

351.48%

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

$2,930 CHF 2,310

$201 MX$3,473

1359.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.7K CHF 27.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

565.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$135 CHF 107

$36.92 MX$639

266.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 CHF 53.3

$39.79 MX$688

69.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 117

$78.5 MX$1,357

89.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 149

$87.1 MX$1,506

117.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 CHF 1,357

$973 MX$16.8K

76.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 CHF 1,179

$468 MX$8,090

219.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,833 CHF 2,234

$1,641 MX$28.4K

72.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,499 CHF 1,970

$1,221 MX$21.1K

104.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K CHF 10.2K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

229.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K CHF 8,256

$6,498 MX$112.4K

61.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,819 CHF 6,953

$664 MX$11.5K

1228.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

11.42

-78.11%

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

Last update for Riehen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,721 in Riehen versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 1228% 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 $143 in Riehen versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $655 vs $249 – 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

Riehen vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riehen is pricier by about 164%, 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 $5,133 per month in Riehen and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $3,422 in Riehen and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 273% 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 Riehen at $3,422. 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.