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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Playa del Carmen is about 63% cheaper than Liestal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$27.63 CHF 21.86

-56.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$106 CHF 83.6

-59.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$19.54 CHF 15.46

-45.80%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$5.66 CHF 4.48

-36.04%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$4.99 CHF 3.95

-70.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$4.66 CHF 3.68

-79.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$8.28 CHF 6.55

-62.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.30 CHF 4.98

-29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.21 CHF 1.75

-35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.35 CHF 2.65

-43.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$4.99 CHF 3.95

-67.33%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$7.88 CHF 6.23

-66.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$28.01 CHF 22.16

-70.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$34.87 CHF 27.58

-76.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$41.46 CHF 32.80

-73.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.85 CHF 3.05

-31.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.61 CHF 2.06

-42.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.93 CHF 2.31

-32.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$6.80 CHF 5.38

-69.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$3.28 CHF 2.60

-45.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.87 CHF 2.27

-24.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.66 CHF 2.10

-59.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.26 CHF 1.00

-17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$11.51 CHF 9.11

-65.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$15.21 CHF 12.03

-32.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.92 CHF 1.52

-9.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.32 CHF 1.83

7.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.59 CHF 2.84

-85.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$68.8 CHF 54.4

-60.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$7.92 CHF 6.26

-60.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$4.32 CHF 3.42

-44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$93.8 CHF 74.2

-96.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.17 CHF 1.71

-41.47%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$40.3K CHF 31.9K

-23.32%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$49.6K CHF 39.2K

-52.98%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$377 CHF 298

-78.24%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$53.4 CHF 42.22

-57.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$59.9 CHF 47.39

-50.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$87.8 CHF 69.4

-40.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$61.5 CHF 48.68

-69.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$25.03 CHF 19.80

-80.14%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$2,575 CHF 2,037

-92.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$34.9K CHF 27.6K

-84.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$132 CHF 104

-72.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$68.7 CHF 54.4

-41.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$173 CHF 137

-53.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$234 CHF 185

-62.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,457 CHF 1,153

-33.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,336 CHF 1,057

-65.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,427 CHF 1,920

-34.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$2,603 CHF 2,059

-53.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$8,447 CHF 6,681

-23.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$9,838 CHF 7,782

-92.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.52

353.17%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Liestal: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,457 in Liestal. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $106 in Liestal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $657 – 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

Playa del Carmen vs Liestal: 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,163 in Liestal. 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,575 in Liestal. 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.