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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,151 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,139 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,126 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 59% cheaper than Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Schaffhausen is 129% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$31.20 CHF 25.46

-61.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$121 CHF 99.0

-60.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$18.87 CHF 15.40

-37.73%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.75 CHF 4.69

-28.35%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$5.47 CHF 4.47

-74.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$4.99 CHF 4.07

-81.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$8.73 CHF 7.13

-63.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.46 CHF 6.09

-5.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.21 CHF 1.81

-23.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$4.15 CHF 3.38

-48.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$4.36 CHF 3.55

-59.40%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$7.84 CHF 6.40

-64.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$28.35 CHF 23.14

-67.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$32.11 CHF 26.20

-71.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$43.79 CHF 35.74

-71.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.92 CHF 3.20

-24.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.19 CHF 1.79

-27.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.17 CHF 2.59

-29.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$5.68 CHF 4.63

-58.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.52 CHF 2.05

-21.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.46 CHF 2.00

-49.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.25 CHF 1.02

-3.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$11.23 CHF 9.17

-59.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.72 CHF 11.20

-23.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$3.04 CHF 2.48

-44.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.97 CHF 3.24

-30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$3.95 CHF 3.22

-84.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$99.4 CHF 81.1

-70.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$6.26 CHF 5.11

-16.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$3.81 CHF 3.11

-4.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$61.5 CHF 50.2

-90.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$2.22 CHF 1.81

-30.63%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

-49.02%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

-36.67%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$228 CHF 186

-60.16%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$31.99 CHF 26.11

-21.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$64.0 CHF 52.2

-50.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$112 CHF 91.1

-38.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$46.98 CHF 38.34

-37.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$23.97 CHF 19.56

-79.72%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$3,228 CHF 2,634

-93.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

-87.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$170 CHF 138

-72.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$54.9 CHF 44.83

-20.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$193 CHF 157

-58.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$157 CHF 128

-41.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,362 CHF 1,112

-20.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,200 CHF 980

-65.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$2,710 CHF 2,212

-27.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$2,411 CHF 1,967

-46.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$8,369 CHF 6,830

-51.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$8,438 CHF 6,886

-20.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$7,296 CHF 5,954

-89.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.48

361.69%

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 Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,362 in Schaffhausen. 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 843% higher in Schaffhausen, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $121 in Schaffhausen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $651 – 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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Schaffhausen is pricier by about 141%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,727 in Schaffhausen. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $3,151 in Schaffhausen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 235% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Schaffhausen at $3,151. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Schaffhausen 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, Schaffhausen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.