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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,470 per month in Yens vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,210 per month in Yens vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,951 per month in Yens vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Yens costs about 174% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Yens sits 154% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.97 CHF 23.81

$11.60 MX$200

149.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 100

$47.11 MX$811

159.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.03 CHF 13.17

$11.88 MX$205

34.93%

Cappuccino

$6.10 CHF 5.01

$3.98 MX$68.5

53.27%

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

$5.04 CHF 4.14

$1.43 MX$24.57

252.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 CHF 3.38

$0.82 MX$14.20

401.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.18 CHF 7.55

$3.19 MX$54.9

187.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 CHF 6.71

$6.79 MX$117

20.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.84

$1.68 MX$28.85

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CHF 2.52

$2.20 MX$37.83

39.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.62

$1.71 MX$29.41

85.96%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 6.06

$2.74 MX$47.20

168.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.52 CHF 20.15

$9.58 MX$165

155.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.06 CHF 23.06

$9.01 MX$155

211.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.21 CHF 32.22

$12.81 MX$221

206.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.96

$2.89 MX$49.74

24.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.67

$1.50 MX$25.78

35.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.17

$2.15 MX$36.98

22.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 CHF 3.72

$2.26 MX$38.91

100.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 CHF 1.40

$1.98 MX$34.10

-14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CHF 1.64

$1.99 MX$34.26

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 CHF 1.69

$1.23 MX$21.25

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 CHF 1.08

$1.20 MX$20.60

9.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 CHF 9.27

$4.55 MX$78.3

147.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CHF 10.21

$10.37 MX$179

19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.93

$1.62 MX$27.88

45.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.50

$2.88 MX$49.60

5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.42 CHF 3.64

$0.60 MX$10.34

636.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.3 CHF 81.6

$28.80 MX$496

244.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 CHF 6.46

$5.39 MX$92.8

45.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.65 CHF 3.82

$3.73 MX$64.2

24.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.8 CHF 71.3

$5.77 MX$99.3

1404.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 CHF 1.95

$1.54 MX$26.45

53.90%

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

$44.6K CHF 36.7K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

97.89%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.4K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

51.34%

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

$283 CHF 233

$91.4 MX$1,573

209.77%

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

$28.77 CHF 23.64

$25.20 MX$434

14.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CHF 42.23

$31.24 MX$538

64.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.7 CHF 76.2

$67.2 MX$1,157

38.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.86 CHF 37.68

$29.11 MX$501

57.54%

Cinema Ticket

$24.87 CHF 20.43

$4.86 MX$83.7

411.73%

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

$2,953 CHF 2,427

$224 MX$3,851

1220.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K CHF 26.0K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

648.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 119

$47.10 MX$811

207.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.9 CHF 50.9

$44.29 MX$763

39.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 CHF 116

$80.1 MX$1,379

76.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 CHF 167

$92.7 MX$1,596

119.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 CHF 1,457

$1,063 MX$18.3K

66.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 CHF 1,215

$390 MX$6,719

278.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CHF 2,404

$2,149 MX$37.0K

36.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 CHF 2,093

$1,272 MX$21.9K

100.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K CHF 13.7K

$4,001 MX$68.9K

315.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

$6,502 MX$112.0K

88.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

11.45

-82.97%

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

Last update for Yens: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,773 in Yens versus $1,063 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in Yens versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $566 vs $276 – 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

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

Yes – Yens is pricier by about 174%, 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 $5,205 per month in Yens and $1,899 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 $3,470 in Yens and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 245% 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 $1,266, than in Yens at $3,470. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yens 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, Yens makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.