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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,299 in Schaan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,226 in Schaan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,154 in Schaan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen and Schaan have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Playa del Carmen and Schaan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Schaan 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$27.76 CHF 21.89

-57.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$81.3 CHF 64.1

-48.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$14.64 CHF 11.54

-27.32%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$6.60 CHF 5.21

-46.67%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$3.09 CHF 2.44

-51.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$5.99 CHF 4.72

-83.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.06 CHF 3.99

-41.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.68 CHF 2.90

20.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.94 CHF 1.53

-28.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$4.96 CHF 3.91

-61.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$6.06 CHF 4.78

-58.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$29.16 CHF 22.99

-71.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$24.30 CHF 19.16

-65.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$48.52 CHF 38.25

-77.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$8.75 CHF 6.90

-76.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.41 CHF 1.90

-55.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$12.61 CHF 9.94

-18.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.49 CHF 1.96

-79.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.43 CHF 1.92

-46.09%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$86.3 CHF 68.0

-3.97%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$33.81 CHF 26.65

-34.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$44.23 CHF 34.87

-33.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$124 CHF 98.0

-58.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$19.84 CHF 15.65

-74.45%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,831 CHF 1,444

-46.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$3,072 CHF 2,422

-46.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$10.3K CHF 8,084

-61.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$6,324 CHF 4,986

2.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$9,008 CHF 7,102

-92.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Schaan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,831 in Schaan. 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 1257% higher in Schaan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $81.0 in Schaan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $546 – 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 Schaan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,948 in Schaan. 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.

Groceries cost about 119% more in Schaan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $81.0 in Schaan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Schaan at $1,299. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Schaan 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, Schaan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.