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 $3,511 per month in Yens vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,311 per month in Yens vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,111 per month in Yens vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Yens costs about 171% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Yens sits 162% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.64 CHF 24.16

$11.73 MX$203

161.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 114

$41.62 MX$720

248.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.91 CHF 14.91

$10.64 MX$184

77.73%

Cappuccino

$6.15 CHF 4.85

$3.52 MX$60.9

74.72%

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

$5.34 CHF 4.21

$1.51 MX$26.12

253.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.84

$0.97 MX$16.84

402.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.92 CHF 7.82

$2.95 MX$51.0

236.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 CHF 5.86

$4.45 MX$77.0

66.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$1.38 MX$23.93

57.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 CHF 3.03

$1.89 MX$32.72

103.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 CHF 3.56

$1.64 MX$28.32

175.61%

Eggs

$7.10 CHF 5.60

$2.51 MX$43.34

182.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.46 CHF 20.86

$8.34 MX$144

217.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.53 CHF 22.50

$8.34 MX$144

242.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.82 CHF 34.55

$10.73 MX$186

308.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$2.60 MX$45.04

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.66

$1.46 MX$25.20

44.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.22

$1.90 MX$32.87

47.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 CHF 5.18

$2.08 MX$35.91

215.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.92

$1.78 MX$30.71

37.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.83

$2.19 MX$37.80

6.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.96

$1.04 MX$17.99

139.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CHF 1.15

$1.08 MX$18.62

35.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.62

$4.08 MX$70.6

167.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 CHF 10.85

$10.32 MX$178

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CHF 1.59

$1.71 MX$29.61

18.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CHF 2.46

$2.58 MX$44.54

20.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.11

$0.51 MX$8.81

674.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.7 CHF 77.8

$26.46 MX$458

273.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 CHF 6.38

$3.26 MX$56.4

148.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 CHF 2.65

$2.49 MX$43.09

35.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.2 CHF 52.2

$3.25 MX$56.2

1936.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$1.31 MX$22.61

67.18%

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

$40.0K CHF 31.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

32.20%

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

$41.6K CHF 32.8K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

77.62%

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

$304 CHF 240

$82.9 MX$1,433

266.66%

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

$51.1 CHF 40.31

$22.22 MX$384

130.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 45.49

$29.34 MX$507

96.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.6 CHF 70.7

$51.6 MX$893

73.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$23.13 CHF 18.23

$5.07 MX$87.6

356.21%

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

$2,554 CHF 2,014

$201 MX$3,473

1171.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.7K CHF 26.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

547.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 84.7

$36.92 MX$639

191.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.9 CHF 55.9

$39.79 MX$688

78.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 119

$78.5 MX$1,357

92.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 145

$87.1 MX$1,506

111.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 CHF 1,349

$973 MX$16.8K

75.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 CHF 1,144

$468 MX$8,090

210.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,872 CHF 2,264

$1,641 MX$28.4K

74.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 CHF 1,913

$1,221 MX$21.1K

98.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.7K CHF 12.4K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

297.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,331

$6,498 MX$112.4K

62.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 Yens: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,711 in Yens 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $145 in Yens versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $618 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

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

Yes – Yens is pricier by about 171%, 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 $5,266 per month in Yens 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 $3,511 in Yens 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 Yens at $3,511. 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.