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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,299 in Schaan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,208 in Schaan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,117 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 5% lower, Schaan 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$28.09 CHF 22.93

-57.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$87.7 CHF 71.6

-45.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$14.68 CHF 11.98

-19.96%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$6.60 CHF 5.38

-37.58%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$3.01 CHF 2.46

-53.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$6.02 CHF 4.92

-84.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$4.94 CHF 4.03

-35.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.78 CHF 3.08

87.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.94 CHF 1.58

-13.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$5.02 CHF 4.10

-57.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$5.99 CHF 4.89

-52.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$29.21 CHF 23.84

-68.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$24.66 CHF 20.12

-62.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$49.49 CHF 40.39

-74.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$8.85 CHF 7.23

-73.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$2.42 CHF 1.98

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$12.25 CHF 10.00

-14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$2.48 CHF 2.03

-75.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$2.45 CHF 2.00

-37.14%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$88.1 CHF 71.9

2.88%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$33.26 CHF 27.15

-24.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$44.24 CHF 36.11

-28.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$122 CHF 99.6

-43.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$19.83 CHF 16.18

-75.49%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,848 CHF 1,508

-41.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$3,075 CHF 2,509

-35.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$10.0K CHF 8,186

-59.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$6,223 CHF 5,079

7.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$8,726 CHF 7,121

-91.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

186.25%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Schaan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,848 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 1028% higher in Schaan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $88.0 in Schaan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $551 – 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,949 in Schaan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Schaan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 98% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $88.0 in Schaan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Schaan, where all-in costs run around $1,299, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Schaan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Schaan – 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 Schaan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.