Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yens and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $3,568 in Yens, rent and utilities included – about $28,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Yens, Switzerland
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Yens
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,568
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yens and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Yens and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,568 per month in Yens vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Yens $3,568
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $5,328 per month in Yens vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Yens $5,328
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $7,088 per month in Yens vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Yens $7,088
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Yens costs about 197% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Yens sits 164% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$29.48 CHF 24.08
$10.67 MX$199
176.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$116 CHF 94.5
$43.80 MX$815
163.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.12 CHF 13.17
$11.79 MX$219
36.73%
Cappuccino
$6.35 CHF 5.19
$3.79 MX$70.5
67.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.07 CHF 4.14
$1.30 MX$24.14
290.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 CHF 3.30
$0.83 MX$15.51
386.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.34 CHF 7.63
$3.15 MX$58.6
196.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.91 CHF 6.46
$4.93 MX$91.8
60.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 CHF 1.85
$1.41 MX$26.22
60.28%
White Bread (500g)
$3.06 CHF 2.50
$2.20 MX$40.86
39.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.32 CHF 2.71
$1.47 MX$27.40
125.85%
Eggs
$7.55 CHF 6.17
$2.50 MX$46.47
202.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.49 CHF 20.01
$7.29 MX$136
235.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$27.77 CHF 22.69
$7.95 MX$148
249.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$40.09 CHF 32.76
$12.86 MX$239
211.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.63 CHF 2.97
$2.90 MX$53.9
25.17%
Banana (1kg)
$2.00 CHF 1.63
$1.38 MX$25.74
44.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.52 CHF 2.06
$2.49 MX$46.36
1.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.74 CHF 3.87
$2.03 MX$37.78
133.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 CHF 1.35
$2.02 MX$37.69
-17.82%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 CHF 1.61
$1.90 MX$35.42
3.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.08 CHF 1.70
$1.14 MX$21.30
82.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 CHF 1.12
$1.24 MX$23.06
10.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.04 CHF 9.02
$4.27 MX$79.5
158.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.38 CHF 10.11
$9.81 MX$183
26.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.23 CHF 1.82
$1.59 MX$29.51
40.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 CHF 2.49
$2.75 MX$51.1
10.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Yens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.99 CHF 3.26
$0.51 MX$9.58
682.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$107 CHF 87.8
$27.39 MX$510
292.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.99 CHF 6.53
$4.76 MX$88.6
67.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.69 CHF 3.83
$3.25 MX$60.5
44.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$85.7 CHF 70.1
$5.39 MX$100
1490.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.34 CHF 1.91
$1.53 MX$28.44
52.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K CHF 31.9K
$21.2K MX$394.8K
84.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K CHF 32.6K
$23.3K MX$432.9K
71.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$280 CHF 229
$83.5 MX$1,554
235.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.64 CHF 23.40
$23.19 MX$431
23.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.4 CHF 43.64
$27.61 MX$514
93.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.2 CHF 62.2
$56.4 MX$1,050
34.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.19 CHF 38.55
$28.19 MX$525
67.40%
Cinema Ticket
$24.30 CHF 19.85
$5.00 MX$93.1
386.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,957 CHF 2,416
$207 MX$3,854
1328.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.6K CHF 29.1K
$5,231 MX$97.4K
580.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$143 CHF 117
$43.45 MX$809
228.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.4 CHF 50.2
$42.54 MX$792
44.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$141 CHF 115
$72.8 MX$1,354
94.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$195 CHF 159
$88.4 MX$1,645
120.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,735 CHF 1,417
$995 MX$18.5K
74.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,655 CHF 1,352
$382 MX$7,116
332.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,868 CHF 2,343
$1,674 MX$31.2K
71.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,682 CHF 2,191
$1,081 MX$20.1K
148.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$16.6K CHF 13.6K
$3,909 MX$72.7K
325.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.5K CHF 9,374
$6,138 MX$114.2K
86.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$832 MX$15.5K
-
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: October 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Yens
$1.7K
Playa del Carmen
$382 76.9% $1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Yens
$569
Playa del Carmen
$257 54.8% $312
Eating Out
Yens
$459
Playa del Carmen
$200 56.4% $259
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yens
$362
Playa del Carmen
$134 62.9% $228
Clothing & Footwear
Yens
$243
Playa del Carmen
$111 54.3% $132
Getting Around
Yens
$155
Playa del Carmen
$50 67.4% $104
Sport & Entertainment
Yens
$125
Playa del Carmen
$66 46.7% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,735 in Yens versus $995 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 $116 in Yens versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $569 vs $257 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Yens
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
22:45 10:45 PM
16:45 4:45 PM
6 h behind Yens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,200
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.817 CHF (1 CHF = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.92 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.95 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Yens Playa del Carmen 8,620 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Yens
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Yens?
Yes – Yens is pricier by about 197%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,352 per month in Yens and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $995 there versus $1,735 in Yens.
What are total monthly expenses in Yens and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,568 in Yens and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 66% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 75% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Yens or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Yens at $3,568. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yens it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Yens or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Playa del Carmen is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 66% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Yens vs other spots: cost of living compared

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