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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,299 per month in Schaan vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Schaan vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,117 per month in Schaan vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Schaan and Playa del Carmen have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Schaan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Schaan 6% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.09 CHF 22.93

$11.96 MX$203

134.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.7 CHF 71.6

$47.38 MX$804

85.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.68 CHF 11.98

$11.75 MX$199

24.94%

Cappuccino

$6.60 CHF 5.38

$4.12 MX$70.0

60.19%

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

$3.01 CHF 2.46

$1.40 MX$23.74

115.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 CHF 4.92

$0.91 MX$15.48

561.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.94 CHF 4.03

$3.21 MX$54.4

53.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 CHF 3.08

$7.07 MX$120

-46.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 CHF 1.58

$1.68 MX$28.44

15.48%

White Bread (500g)

$5.02 CHF 4.10

$2.15 MX$36.48

133.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

Eggs

$5.99 CHF 4.89

$2.82 MX$47.76

112.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.21 CHF 23.84

$9.20 MX$156

217.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.66 CHF 20.12

$9.23 MX$157

167.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.49 CHF 40.39

$12.64 MX$214

291.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$8.85 CHF 7.23

$2.36 MX$40.09

275.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.98

$1.21 MX$20.55

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 CHF 10.00

$10.52 MX$178

16.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 CHF 2.03

$0.60 MX$10.22

313.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.45 CHF 2.00

$1.54 MX$26.09

59.09%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$88.1 CHF 71.9

$90.7 MX$1,538

-2.80%

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

$33.26 CHF 27.15

$25.19 MX$427

32.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.24 CHF 36.11

$31.75 MX$539

39.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 CHF 99.6

$68.8 MX$1,167

77.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$19.83 CHF 16.18

$4.86 MX$82.5

308.02%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 CHF 1,508

$1,086 MX$18.4K

70.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,075 CHF 2,509

$1,972 MX$33.5K

55.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.0K CHF 8,186

$4,046 MX$68.6K

147.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,223 CHF 5,079

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-7.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,726 CHF 7,121

$773 MX$13.1K

1028.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-65.07%

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

Last update for Schaan: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,848 in Schaan versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. 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 1028% higher in Schaan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Schaan versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $551 vs $278 – 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

Schaan vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,949 per month in Schaan and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Schaan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 98% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Schaan and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Schaan, where all-in costs run around $1,299, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Schaan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Schaan – 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 Schaan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.