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 $3,459 per month in Yens vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,362 per month in Yens vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,264 per month in Yens vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Yens costs about 175% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Yens sits 159% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.31 CHF 24.51

$11.99 MX$210

152.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$41.78 MX$733

251.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.91 CHF 15.29

$10.75 MX$189

75.91%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.77

$3.50 MX$61.3

68.57%

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

$5.46 CHF 4.41

$1.45 MX$25.41

276.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 CHF 3.80

$0.88 MX$15.52

435.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.65 CHF 7.80

$2.95 MX$51.7

227.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 CHF 6.05

$4.51 MX$79.1

66.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.43 MX$25.12

55.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$1.84 MX$32.23

105.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.60

$1.57 MX$27.51

183.44%

Eggs

$7.42 CHF 6.00

$2.51 MX$44.06

195.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.28 CHF 21.24

$8.28 MX$145

217.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.80 CHF 23.29

$8.43 MX$148

241.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.50 CHF 35.98

$10.68 MX$187

316.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.93

$2.61 MX$45.76

38.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.68

$1.44 MX$25.22

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 CHF 2.30

$1.96 MX$34.41

44.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 CHF 5.34

$2.09 MX$36.74

216.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$1.85 MX$32.47

35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$2.17 MX$38.02

8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 2.03

$1.03 MX$18.09

143.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 CHF 1.14

$1.07 MX$18.84

31.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 CHF 8.95

$4.10 MX$72.0

170.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 CHF 11.11

$10.17 MX$178

35.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CHF 1.68

$1.68 MX$29.38

23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CHF 2.50

$2.53 MX$44.31

22.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.96 CHF 3.20

$0.51 MX$8.93

676.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 CHF 80.0

$26.04 MX$457

280.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 CHF 6.25

$3.23 MX$56.7

139.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 CHF 2.76

$2.41 MX$42.19

41.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.2 CHF 54.4

$3.23 MX$56.6

1981.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$1.32 MX$23.17

67.42%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.6K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

35.73%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.9K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

71.84%

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

$301 CHF 244

$82.0 MX$1,439

267.27%

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

$51.1 CHF 41.31

$22.95 MX$403

122.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CHF 46.47

$30.11 MX$528

90.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 71.9

$52.0 MX$912

71.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$22.64 CHF 18.30

$4.98 MX$87.3

354.62%

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

$2,534 CHF 2,049

$197 MX$3,463

1183.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.4K CHF 27.0K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

525.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 86.3

$35.60 MX$624

199.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CHF 55.5

$40.33 MX$707

70.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 121

$78.8 MX$1,381

89.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 CHF 148

$88.9 MX$1,560

105.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 CHF 1,370

$947 MX$16.6K

78.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 CHF 1,170

$474 MX$8,314

205.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,801 CHF 2,265

$1,644 MX$28.8K

70.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 CHF 1,970

$1,211 MX$21.2K

101.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.1K CHF 13.8K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

321.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K CHF 8,726

$6,470 MX$113.5K

66.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,694 in Yens 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Yens versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $622 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 175%, 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 $5,189 per month in Yens 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 $3,459 in Yens 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 280% 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 Yens at $3,459. 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.