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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,280 in Balzers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,142 in Balzers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,005 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 3% below, Balzers is 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$31.20 CHF 24.75

-62.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$122 CHF 96.8

-65.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$22.58 CHF 17.91

-53.90%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$5.62 CHF 4.46

-35.77%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$6.00 CHF 4.76

-75.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$5.69 CHF 4.51

-82.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$7.44 CHF 5.90

-60.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$7.45 CHF 5.91

-37.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.69 CHF 2.14

-46.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$3.06 CHF 2.43

-37.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.79 CHF 2.22

-43.73%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$12.02 CHF 9.53

-78.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$25.51 CHF 20.24

-66.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$24.45 CHF 19.39

-64.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$50.9 CHF 40.34

-78.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.49 CHF 2.77

-22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$3.77 CHF 2.99

-59.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$4.14 CHF 3.29

-53.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$2.60 CHF 2.06

-16.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-22.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.15 CHF 1.71

3.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.12 CHF 1.68

-49.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.67 CHF 1.32

-35.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$12.52 CHF 9.93

-66.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$14.10 CHF 11.18

-27.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.00 CHF 1.58

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.74 CHF 1.38

45.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$3.41 CHF 2.70

-83.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$84.4 CHF 67.0

-68.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.83 CHF 1.45

74.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$8.71 CHF 6.90

-63.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$2.28 CHF 1.81

-42.11%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$34.7K CHF 27.5K

-13.05%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$32.8K CHF 26.0K

-28.68%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$218 CHF 173

-62.70%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$40.23 CHF 31.91

-44.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$74.7 CHF 59.3

-59.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$92.1 CHF 73.1

-44.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$24.82 CHF 19.68

-25.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$25.10 CHF 19.91

-79.44%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$302 CHF 240

-33.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$8,942 CHF 7,092

-40.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$127 CHF 101

-72.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$51.6 CHF 40.89

-21.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$176 CHF 140

-55.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$227 CHF 180

-61.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$976 CHF 774

-2.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$1,291 CHF 1,024

-62.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$2,935 CHF 2,328

-44.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$2,401 CHF 1,904

-49.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$17.0K CHF 13.4K

-76.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$5,341 CHF 4,236

21.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$8,872 CHF 7,037

-92.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.55

51.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Balzers: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $976 in Balzers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balzers pays 1218% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $122 in Balzers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $620 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 153% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Balzers earns 1218% less. 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $976 in Balzers. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 144% 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,280 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 153% less than in Balzers. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.