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 $3,522 per month in Riehen vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,312 per month in Riehen vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,102 per month in Riehen vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Riehen costs about 180% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riehen sits 164% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.28 CHF 24.48

$11.99 MX$210

152.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 116

$41.78 MX$733

241.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.43 CHF 14.90

$10.75 MX$189

71.44%

Cappuccino

$6.12 CHF 4.95

$3.50 MX$61.3

74.86%

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

$5.34 CHF 4.32

$1.45 MX$25.41

268.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 CHF 4.01

$0.88 MX$15.52

463.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.36 CHF 6.76

$2.95 MX$51.7

183.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 CHF 6.13

$4.51 MX$79.1

68.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.81

$1.43 MX$25.12

55.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 CHF 2.81

$1.84 MX$32.23

88.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 CHF 3.38

$1.57 MX$27.51

166.24%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.96

$2.51 MX$44.06

193.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.47 CHF 23.02

$8.28 MX$145

243.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.98 CHF 26.66

$8.43 MX$148

291.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.25 CHF 39.01

$10.68 MX$187

351.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CHF 3.02

$2.61 MX$45.76

43.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 CHF 1.85

$1.44 MX$25.22

59.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.38

$1.96 MX$34.41

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.38 CHF 5.16

$2.09 MX$36.74

205.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$1.85 MX$32.47

36.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$2.17 MX$38.02

8.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$1.03 MX$18.09

142.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.11

$1.07 MX$18.84

28.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.16 CHF 9.02

$4.10 MX$72.0

172.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.91 CHF 10.44

$10.17 MX$178

26.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 1.97

$1.68 MX$29.38

45.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.70

$2.53 MX$44.31

32.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.09

$0.51 MX$8.93

649.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.8 CHF 80.7

$26.04 MX$457

283.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.21

$3.23 MX$56.7

137.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.30 CHF 3.48

$2.41 MX$42.19

78.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.0 CHF 63.9

$3.23 MX$56.6

2347.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.75

$1.32 MX$23.17

64.39%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

37.83%

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

$42.0K CHF 33.9K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

77.45%

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

$260 CHF 210

$82.0 MX$1,439

217.18%

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

$49.27 CHF 39.83

$22.95 MX$403

114.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CHF 47.48

$30.11 MX$528

95.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 CHF 70.5

$52.0 MX$912

67.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.80 CHF 20.86

$18.53 MX$325

39.23%

Cinema Ticket

$22.94 CHF 18.55

$4.98 MX$87.3

360.64%

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

$2,889 CHF 2,335

$197 MX$3,463

1363.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 28.1K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

551.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 110

$35.60 MX$624

281.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.2 CHF 54.4

$40.33 MX$707

66.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 118

$78.8 MX$1,381

85.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 CHF 154

$88.9 MX$1,560

113.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 CHF 1,375

$947 MX$16.6K

79.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 CHF 1,164

$474 MX$8,314

203.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,866 CHF 2,317

$1,644 MX$28.8K

74.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 CHF 2,018

$1,211 MX$21.2K

106.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.3K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

245.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,895

$6,470 MX$113.5K

89.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,551 CHF 6,914

$654 MX$11.5K

1207.75%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,701 in Riehen versus $947 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 1208% 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: $658 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 180%, 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 $5,283 per month in Riehen and $1,884 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 $3,522 in Riehen and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 283% 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 $1,256, than in Riehen at $3,522. 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.