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: $3,209 in Balzers versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,056 in Balzers versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,903 in Balzers versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Balzers is roughly 155% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Balzers is 141% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.46 CHF 24.78

$11.72 MX$204

159.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 99.3

$41.89 MX$731

191.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.26 CHF 18.11

$10.51 MX$183

111.80%

Cappuccino

$5.58 CHF 4.54

$3.59 MX$62.5

55.43%

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

$6.29 CHF 5.11

$1.51 MX$26.31

316.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 CHF 4.48

$0.92 MX$15.96

497.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 CHF 6.03

$2.96 MX$51.6

150.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 CHF 5.89

$4.41 MX$76.9

64.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CHF 2.26

$1.40 MX$24.35

98.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 CHF 2.46

$1.88 MX$32.87

60.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 CHF 2.33

$1.56 MX$27.19

83.33%

Eggs

$12.19 CHF 9.91

$2.61 MX$45.50

367.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.45 CHF 20.70

$8.32 MX$145

205.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.34 CHF 19.80

$8.35 MX$146

191.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.6 CHF 41.95

$10.86 MX$189

374.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 CHF 2.75

$2.71 MX$47.31

24.72%

Banana (1kg)

$3.90 CHF 3.17

$1.51 MX$26.25

158.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.27

$1.87 MX$32.67

114.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.14

$2.19 MX$38.19

20.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$1.86 MX$32.40

28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.74

$2.23 MX$38.90

-4.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CHF 1.79

$1.07 MX$18.63

105.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CHF 1.36

$1.09 MX$18.94

53.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.13 CHF 9.87

$4.19 MX$73.0

189.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 CHF 11.21

$10.43 MX$182

32.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 CHF 1.66

$1.66 MX$28.91

22.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CHF 1.43

$2.61 MX$45.56

-32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 CHF 2.94

$0.54 MX$9.45

568.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 CHF 69.1

$26.16 MX$456

224.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 CHF 1.42

$3.08 MX$53.7

-43.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 CHF 7.09

$3.13 MX$54.5

178.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.79

$1.31 MX$22.87

67.94%

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

$35.4K CHF 28.8K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

18.62%

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

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

42.79%

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

$215 CHF 175

$81.3 MX$1,418

164.36%

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

$39.40 CHF 32.05

$22.56 MX$393

74.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 CHF 58.9

$30.05 MX$524

140.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.6 CHF 76.1

$52.9 MX$923

76.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.67 CHF 20.07

$18.39 MX$321

34.15%

Cinema Ticket

$25.08 CHF 20.40

$4.92 MX$85.8

409.76%

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

$313 CHF 255

$201 MX$3,502

56.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,839 CHF 7,190

$5,175 MX$90.2K

70.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 CHF 103

$35.92 MX$627

253.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 CHF 43.24

$40.13 MX$700

32.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$178 CHF 145

$79.7 MX$1,390

123.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 181

$86.5 MX$1,508

156.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 CHF 819

$978 MX$17.1K

2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 CHF 1,088

$470 MX$8,206

184.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,888 CHF 2,349

$1,651 MX$28.8K

74.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 CHF 1,958

$1,203 MX$21.0K

100.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.5K CHF 13.4K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

316.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,211 CHF 4,238

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-21.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,837 CHF 7,188

$677 MX$11.8K

1206.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.55

11.42

-33.89%

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

Last update for Balzers: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,007 in Balzers and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balzers pays 1206% 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: $122 in Balzers vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $622 vs $252 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 155% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1206% 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: $1,007 in Balzers versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 147% 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 $42.00 versus $122 in Balzers. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,209 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 155% less than in Balzers. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.