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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,303 in Vaduz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,424 in Vaduz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,544 in Vaduz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 62% cheaper than Vaduz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Vaduz is 141% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$37.12 CHF 30.64

-68.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$145 CHF 119

-67.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$18.22 CHF 15.04

-34.80%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$6.47 CHF 5.34

-38.49%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$4.35 CHF 3.59

-67.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$4.29 CHF 3.54

-80.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$7.42 CHF 6.12

-57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.06 CHF 5.00

12.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$3.00 CHF 2.48

-44.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.53 CHF 2.92

-37.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.99 CHF 2.47

-42.81%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$10.59 CHF 8.74

-74.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$27.37 CHF 22.59

-65.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$24.41 CHF 20.14

-63.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$54.7 CHF 45.11

-76.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.62 CHF 2.99

-20.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$4.18 CHF 3.45

-64.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$4.27 CHF 3.52

-49.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.67 CHF 2.20

-15.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.68 CHF 2.21

-26.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.11 CHF 1.74

-5.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.15 CHF 1.78

-42.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.00 CHF 1.65

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$12.65 CHF 10.44

-64.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$18.59 CHF 15.34

-44.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.81 CHF 2.32

-42.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.19 CHF 2.63

-9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.74 CHF 2.26

-78.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$120 CHF 99.2

-76.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$2.01 CHF 1.66

168.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$5.96 CHF 4.92

-37.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.44 CHF 2.01

-36.89%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.6K CHF 30.2K

-38.41%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$40.0K CHF 33.0K

-34.84%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$248 CHF 205

-63.22%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$40.23 CHF 33.20

-37.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$67.9 CHF 56.1

-54.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$81.8 CHF 67.5

-17.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$18.40 CHF 15.19

58.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$24.64 CHF 20.34

-80.28%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$365 CHF 301

-38.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$17.2K CHF 14.2K

-75.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$141 CHF 117

-66.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$48.29 CHF 39.86

-8.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$178 CHF 147

-54.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$223 CHF 184

-58.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,381 CHF 1,140

-23.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,180 CHF 974

-66.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,986 CHF 2,465

-28.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,481 CHF 2,048

-48.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$16.8K CHF 13.9K

-76.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$7,017 CHF 5,792

-7.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$9,357 CHF 7,723

-91.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.25

57.93%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Vaduz: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,381 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 1134% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $145 in Vaduz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $664 – 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 161%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,955 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $3,303 in Vaduz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 317% 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 $1,266, than in Vaduz at $3,303. 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.