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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,132 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,926 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,720 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 133% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$30.39 CHF 24.29

-60.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$124 CHF 99.4

-65.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$15.82 CHF 12.65

-32.68%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$5.42 CHF 4.33

-36.35%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$5.36 CHF 4.28

-72.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$4.37 CHF 3.49

-78.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$7.95 CHF 6.36

-61.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$7.35 CHF 5.88

-37.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.96 CHF 1.57

-29.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.77 CHF 3.01

-50.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$3.61 CHF 2.88

-55.40%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$7.87 CHF 6.29

-67.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$29.45 CHF 23.54

-71.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$35.04 CHF 28.01

-76.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$51.8 CHF 41.39

-79.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$3.68 CHF 2.94

-28.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$2.33 CHF 1.86

-36.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$2.94 CHF 2.35

-34.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$6.14 CHF 4.91

-65.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$2.42 CHF 1.94

-23.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$2.49 CHF 1.99

-9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$2.56 CHF 2.05

-58.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$1.28 CHF 1.02

-14.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$10.97 CHF 8.77

-62.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$12.33 CHF 9.85

-15.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$1.37 CHF 1.09

25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$2.71 CHF 2.16

-3.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$3.98 CHF 3.18

-86.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$87.3 CHF 69.7

-69.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$10.15 CHF 8.11

-69.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$3.89 CHF 3.11

-35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$60.6 CHF 48.41

-94.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$2.21 CHF 1.76

-42.53%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$40.3K CHF 32.2K

-24.62%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$42.6K CHF 34.1K

-44.70%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$247 CHF 197

-66.37%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$28.92 CHF 23.11

-21.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$43.93 CHF 35.11

-32.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$109 CHF 87.2

-53.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$47.61 CHF 38.06

-61.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$22.53 CHF 18.01

-78.12%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$3,388 CHF 2,708

-94.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$42.4K CHF 33.9K

-87.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$111 CHF 89.1

-66.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$66.4 CHF 53.1

-39.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$129 CHF 103

-38.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$155 CHF 124

-42.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$1,216 CHF 972

-21.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$1,222 CHF 977

-60.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$2,692 CHF 2,152

-38.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$2,197 CHF 1,756

-44.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$8,390 CHF 6,706

-53.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$6,769 CHF 5,410

-4.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$9,336 CHF 7,463

-92.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.5

356.80%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,216 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 1300% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $124 in Schaffhausen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $672 – 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 147%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,699 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $3,132 in Schaffhausen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 224% 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 $1,271, than in Schaffhausen at $3,132. 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.