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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,151 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,931 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,712 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 60% cheaper than Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Schaffhausen is 135% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$31.31 CHF 24.55

-62.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$125 CHF 98.1

-66.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$15.86 CHF 12.43

-34.43%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$5.43 CHF 4.26

-33.52%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$5.42 CHF 4.25

-72.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$4.42 CHF 3.47

-79.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$8.20 CHF 6.43

-63.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$7.59 CHF 5.95

-41.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.90 CHF 1.49

-27.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$3.79 CHF 2.97

-51.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$3.55 CHF 2.79

-54.65%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$7.66 CHF 6.01

-66.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$29.66 CHF 23.25

-71.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$35.28 CHF 27.66

-75.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$51.8 CHF 40.59

-78.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$3.77 CHF 2.95

-27.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$2.24 CHF 1.76

-33.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$2.87 CHF 2.25

-31.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$6.02 CHF 4.72

-64.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$2.46 CHF 1.93

-24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.44 CHF 1.92

-11.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$2.67 CHF 2.10

-59.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$1.28 CHF 1.01

-17.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$11.29 CHF 8.85

-62.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$13.90 CHF 10.90

-26.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.36 CHF 1.07

22.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.75 CHF 2.15

-9.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.79 CHF 2.97

-85.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$85.1 CHF 66.7

-69.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$10.08 CHF 7.91

-69.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$4.11 CHF 3.22

-40.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$62.3 CHF 48.83

-94.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$2.15 CHF 1.69

-41.40%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$40.9K CHF 32.0K

-26.16%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$42.5K CHF 33.3K

-44.82%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$242 CHF 190

-65.34%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$28.69 CHF 22.49

-22.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$43.53 CHF 34.13

-31.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$109 CHF 85.7

-51.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$47.51 CHF 37.25

-61.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$22.50 CHF 17.64

-78.00%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$3,325 CHF 2,607

-94.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$43.6K CHF 34.1K

-87.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$112 CHF 87.9

-67.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$68.3 CHF 53.5

-41.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$130 CHF 102

-39.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$158 CHF 124

-45.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$1,214 CHF 952

-19.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$1,221 CHF 957

-61.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$2,754 CHF 2,159

-42.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$2,163 CHF 1,696

-43.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$8,567 CHF 6,717

-52.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$6,910 CHF 5,417

-4.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$9,437 CHF 7,398

-92.43%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,214 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 1221% 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $125 in Schaffhausen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $675 – 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 150%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,726 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 $1,261 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 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 $1,261, 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.