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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,355 in Vaduz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,382 in Vaduz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,408 in Vaduz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 61% cheaper than Vaduz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Vaduz is 150% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$36.55 CHF 28.92

-67.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$146 CHF 116

-71.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$18.66 CHF 14.76

-42.98%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$6.63 CHF 5.25

-46.91%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$4.33 CHF 3.43

-65.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$4.34 CHF 3.43

-77.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$7.59 CHF 6.01

-61.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$6.21 CHF 4.91

-28.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.88 CHF 2.28

-52.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.56 CHF 2.82

-46.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.09 CHF 2.44

-46.93%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$10.71 CHF 8.47

-76.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$28.18 CHF 22.29

-70.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$24.86 CHF 19.67

-66.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$56.3 CHF 44.53

-80.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.66 CHF 2.89

-28.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$4.16 CHF 3.29

-64.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$4.36 CHF 3.45

-56.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.80 CHF 2.22

-25.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.71 CHF 2.14

-34.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.37 CHF 1.88

-7.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.39 CHF 1.89

-56.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.64 CHF 1.30

-34.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$12.18 CHF 9.63

-66.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$19.16 CHF 15.16

-46.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.17 CHF 1.72

-21.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.90 CHF 1.50

35.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$3.88 CHF 3.07

-86.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$92.6 CHF 73.2

-71.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.91 CHF 1.51

70.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$5.52 CHF 4.37

-54.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$8.88 CHF 7.02

-63.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-45.42%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$35.0K CHF 27.7K

-13.59%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$33.8K CHF 26.8K

-30.75%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$220 CHF 174

-62.28%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$39.38 CHF 31.15

-43.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$72.7 CHF 57.5

-59.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$82.3 CHF 65.1

-37.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$24.68 CHF 19.53

-25.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$24.51 CHF 19.39

-79.31%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$306 CHF 242

-34.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$16.4K CHF 13.0K

-68.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$131 CHF 103

-71.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$53.3 CHF 42.13

-25.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$179 CHF 141

-56.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$229 CHF 181

-61.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$1,371 CHF 1,085

-29.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$1,321 CHF 1,045

-64.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,909 CHF 2,301

-43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$2,378 CHF 1,881

-48.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$17.6K CHF 13.9K

-77.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$7,182 CHF 5,682

-9.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$9,479 CHF 7,499

-93.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.21

58.39%

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 Vaduz: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,371 in Vaduz. 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 1328% higher in Vaduz, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $146 in Vaduz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $667 – 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 Vaduz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vaduz is pricier by about 159%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,033 in Vaduz. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $3,355 in Vaduz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 250% 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 $1,297, than in Vaduz at $3,355. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vaduz 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, Vaduz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.