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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,232 in Balzers versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,087 in Balzers versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,943 in Balzers versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Balzers is roughly 148% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Balzers is 134% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 CHF 25.55

$11.96 MX$203

161.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 CHF 102

$47.38 MX$805

164.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.60 CHF 18.45

$11.75 MX$200

92.34%

Cappuccino

$5.52 CHF 4.51

$4.12 MX$70.1

33.98%

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

$6.01 CHF 4.91

$1.40 MX$23.78

329.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 CHF 4.59

$0.91 MX$15.50

517.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.62 CHF 6.22

$3.21 MX$54.5

137.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 CHF 6.09

$7.07 MX$120

5.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 CHF 2.17

$1.68 MX$28.49

58.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 CHF 2.46

$2.15 MX$36.53

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.36

$1.77 MX$30.14

63.28%

Eggs

$12.07 CHF 9.86

$2.82 MX$47.83

328.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.87 CHF 21.13

$9.20 MX$156

181.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.81 CHF 19.44

$9.23 MX$157

157.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.5 CHF 41.22

$12.64 MX$215

299.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 CHF 2.76

$2.95 MX$50.1

14.58%

Banana (1kg)

$3.81 CHF 3.11

$1.58 MX$26.83

141.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 CHF 3.42

$2.22 MX$37.76

88.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 CHF 2.14

$2.36 MX$40.15

11.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$1.99 MX$33.86

26.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.74

$1.98 MX$33.63

7.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 CHF 1.74

$1.24 MX$21.07

71.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CHF 1.33

$1.21 MX$20.58

34.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 CHF 10.26

$4.60 MX$78.2

173.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.00 CHF 11.43

$10.52 MX$179

33.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CHF 1.69

$1.69 MX$28.74

22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 CHF 1.45

$2.77 MX$47.13

-36.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 CHF 2.95

$0.60 MX$10.24

501.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.8 CHF 67.6

$29.70 MX$505

178.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 CHF 1.49

$5.24 MX$89.0

-65.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.36 CHF 5.19

$3.65 MX$62.0

74.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 CHF 7.18

$5.78 MX$98.3

52.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 CHF 1.89

$1.54 MX$26.13

50.00%

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

$35.3K CHF 28.8K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

54.91%

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

$33.2K CHF 27.1K

$25.8K MX$438.5K

28.64%

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

$218 CHF 178

$90.7 MX$1,540

140.47%

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

$40.63 CHF 33.18

$25.19 MX$428

61.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 CHF 59.2

$31.75 MX$539

128.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.5 CHF 77.1

$68.8 MX$1,169

37.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.89 CHF 20.33

$29.37 MX$499

-15.25%

Cinema Ticket

$24.75 CHF 20.21

$4.86 MX$82.6

409.26%

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

$303 CHF 248

$226 MX$3,834

34.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,985 CHF 7,337

$4,194 MX$71.2K

114.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 CHF 106

$47.38 MX$805

174.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 CHF 43.68

$43.45 MX$738

23.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 CHF 147

$80.2 MX$1,363

124.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$226 CHF 185

$91.4 MX$1,552

147.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$998 CHF 815

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-8.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 CHF 1,065

$409 MX$6,943

219.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CHF 2,388

$1,972 MX$33.5K

48.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 CHF 1,965

$1,281 MX$21.8K

87.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K CHF 13.5K

$4,046 MX$68.7K

309.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,257 CHF 4,293

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-21.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,737 CHF 7,134

$773 MX$13.1K

1029.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.55

11.45

-34.06%

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

Last update for Balzers: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $998 in Balzers and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balzers pays 1030% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $125 in Balzers vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $616 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 148% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1030% higher in Balzers, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $998 in Balzers versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 122% higher in Balzers. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $125 in Balzers. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,232 in Balzers, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Balzers. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Balzers, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Balzers and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Balzers. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.