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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,442 per month in Liestal vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,420 per month in Liestal vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,398 per month in Liestal vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Liestal costs about 168% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Liestal sits 157% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.63 CHF 21.86

$11.94 MX$209

131.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 CHF 83.6

$42.75 MX$748

147.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.54 CHF 15.46

$10.59 MX$185

84.51%

Cappuccino

$5.66 CHF 4.48

$3.62 MX$63.4

56.35%

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

$4.99 CHF 3.95

$1.47 MX$25.69

239.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 CHF 3.68

$0.94 MX$16.51

395.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.28 CHF 6.55

$3.09 MX$54.1

167.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.30 CHF 4.98

$4.46 MX$78.0

41.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.75

$1.43 MX$24.94

54.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 CHF 2.65

$1.88 MX$32.97

78.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 CHF 3.95

$1.63 MX$28.50

206.13%

Eggs

$7.88 CHF 6.23

$2.64 MX$46.26

198.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.01 CHF 22.16

$8.21 MX$144

241.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.87 CHF 27.58

$8.29 MX$145

320.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.46 CHF 32.80

$11.10 MX$194

273.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 CHF 3.05

$2.65 MX$46.40

45.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 CHF 2.06

$1.50 MX$26.26

74.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 CHF 2.31

$1.99 MX$34.79

47.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.80 CHF 5.38

$2.08 MX$36.33

226.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.60

$1.79 MX$31.29

83.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.27

$2.18 MX$38.09

31.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CHF 2.10

$1.08 MX$18.84

146.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 CHF 1.00

$1.04 MX$18.15

21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.51 CHF 9.11

$3.97 MX$69.5

189.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 CHF 12.03

$10.20 MX$179

49.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CHF 1.52

$1.73 MX$30.22

10.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.83

$2.50 MX$43.71

-7.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.59 CHF 2.84

$0.52 MX$9.07

590.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 CHF 54.4

$26.97 MX$472

155.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 CHF 6.26

$3.14 MX$55.0

152.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.32 CHF 3.42

$2.40 MX$42.04

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$93.8 CHF 74.2

$3.09 MX$54.0

2934.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$1.27 MX$22.28

70.87%

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

$40.3K CHF 31.9K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

30.41%

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

$49.6K CHF 39.2K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

112.69%

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

$377 CHF 298

$82.0 MX$1,435

359.61%

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

$53.4 CHF 42.22

$22.45 MX$393

137.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 CHF 47.39

$29.66 MX$519

101.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.8 CHF 69.4

$51.9 MX$908

69.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$61.5 CHF 48.68

$18.67 MX$327

229.62%

Cinema Ticket

$25.03 CHF 19.80

$4.97 MX$87.0

403.62%

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

$2,575 CHF 2,037

$198 MX$3,462

1201.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K CHF 27.6K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

562.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$132 CHF 104

$36.34 MX$636

262.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.7 CHF 54.4

$40.05 MX$701

71.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$173 CHF 137

$79.9 MX$1,398

116.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$234 CHF 185

$88.9 MX$1,555

163.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 CHF 1,153

$963 MX$16.9K

51.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 CHF 1,057

$465 MX$8,133

187.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 CHF 1,920

$1,596 MX$27.9K

52.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,603 CHF 2,059

$1,209 MX$21.2K

115.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,447 CHF 6,681

$6,448 MX$112.8K

31.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,838 CHF 7,782

$720 MX$12.6K

1265.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.52

11.42

-77.93%

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

Last update for Liestal: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,457 in Liestal versus $963 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.

Salaries run about 1266% higher in Liestal, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $106 in Liestal versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $657 vs $251 – 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

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

Yes – Liestal is pricier by about 168%, 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 $5,163 per month in Liestal and $1,930 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.

Public transport costs about 155% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,575 per month in Liestal and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Liestal at $3,442. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Liestal 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, Liestal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.