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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,287 in Balzers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,093 in Balzers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,900 in Balzers.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 61% less than in Balzers, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Balzers is 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$30.11 CHF 24.86

-61.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$124 CHF 102

-61.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$21.87 CHF 18.05

-45.68%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$5.66 CHF 4.67

-29.68%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$6.20 CHF 5.12

-76.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$5.47 CHF 4.51

-85.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$7.43 CHF 6.13

-57.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.54 CHF 6.22

-9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.65 CHF 2.19

-36.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.08 CHF 2.54

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.73 CHF 2.25

-37.36%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$12.02 CHF 9.92

-77.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$25.61 CHF 21.14

-62.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$23.60 CHF 19.48

-61.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$50.2 CHF 41.46

-74.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.42 CHF 2.82

-15.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.71 CHF 3.06

-59.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$4.11 CHF 3.39

-47.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.54 CHF 2.10

-11.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.47 CHF 2.04

-19.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.09 CHF 1.73

-4.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.08 CHF 1.71

-40.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.68 CHF 1.39

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$12.03 CHF 9.93

-62.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.85 CHF 11.43

-25.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.98 CHF 1.63

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.78 CHF 1.47

61.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$3.41 CHF 2.81

-82.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$84.7 CHF 69.9

-65.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.75 CHF 1.44

208.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$6.00 CHF 4.95

-37.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$8.57 CHF 7.07

-32.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.20 CHF 1.82

-30.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$34.3K CHF 28.3K

-34.30%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$33.6K CHF 27.7K

-22.46%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$216 CHF 179

-57.77%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$40.37 CHF 33.32

-37.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$74.2 CHF 61.3

-57.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$92.0 CHF 76.0

-26.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$24.81 CHF 20.48

17.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$24.43 CHF 20.17

-80.11%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$301 CHF 249

-25.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$8,905 CHF 7,350

-52.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$129 CHF 106

-63.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$51.4 CHF 42.43

-13.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$175 CHF 144

-54.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$228 CHF 189

-59.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,003 CHF 828

5.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,290 CHF 1,065

-69.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,885 CHF 2,381

-25.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,357 CHF 1,945

-46.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$17.0K CHF 14.0K

-76.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$5,229 CHF 4,316

24.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$8,806 CHF 7,269

-91.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.55

51.66%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Balzers: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,003 in Balzers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balzers pays 1062% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $124 in Balzers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $612 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

Playa del Carmen vs Balzers: 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 160% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1062% lower in Balzers. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,003 in Balzers. 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 $124 in Balzers. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,287 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, Playa del Carmen and Balzers 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 160% less than in Balzers. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.