Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaan and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,281 in Schaan, rent and utilities included – about $920 less a year. The total is higher in Schaan despite lower rent and utilities.

Schaan, Liechtenstein
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Schaan
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein
$1,281
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Schaan and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Schaan and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,281 per month in Schaan vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Schaan $1,281
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Schaan vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Schaan $2,181
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Schaan vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Schaan $3,082
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Schaan costs about 6% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Schaan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Schaan 6% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Schaan
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.20 CHF 22.52
$10.92 MX$203
149.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.7 CHF 69.3
$43.37 MX$808
93.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.59 CHF 12.08
$11.78 MX$219
23.85%
Cappuccino
$6.80 CHF 5.63
$3.81 MX$71.0
78.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 CHF 2.43
$1.28 MX$23.89
128.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.20 CHF 5.14
$0.78 MX$14.58
694.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.94 CHF 4.09
$3.17 MX$59.0
55.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 CHF 2.99
$4.93 MX$91.9
-26.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Schaan
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 CHF 1.61
$1.41 MX$26.20
38.30%
White Bread (500g)
$4.70 CHF 3.89
$2.22 MX$41.30
111.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.42 MX$26.40
-
Eggs
$5.78 CHF 4.78
$2.52 MX$47.00
129.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$28.74 CHF 23.79
$7.26 MX$135
295.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$24.42 CHF 20.21
$7.70 MX$143
217.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$47.49 CHF 39.32
$12.69 MX$236
274.23%
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.78 MX$51.9
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.37 MX$25.49
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$2.55 MX$47.52
-
Tomato (1kg)
$8.51 CHF 7.04
$2.12 MX$39.55
301.42%
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.94 MX$36.11
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.89 MX$35.13
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.15 MX$21.36
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.47 CHF 2.04
$1.18 MX$21.96
109.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.30 MX$80.0
-
Wine (Bottle)
$12.29 CHF 10.18
$9.95 MX$185
23.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.58 MX$29.50
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.67 MX$49.76
-
🚌 Getting Around
Schaan
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.38 CHF 1.97
$0.55 MX$10.31
332.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.62 MX$496
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$4.97 MX$92.6
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$3.33 MX$62.1
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.36 MX$99.8
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.46 CHF 2.03
$1.44 MX$26.90
70.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$20.7K MX$385.0K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$23.5K MX$437.2K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schaan
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.1 CHF 71.3
$84.8 MX$1,580
1.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.04 CHF 26.53
$23.41 MX$436
36.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.01 CHF 35.61
$28.66 MX$534
50.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Schaan
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$122 CHF 101
$57.1 MX$1,063
114.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.91 MX$539
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.58 CHF 16.21
$5.14 MX$95.7
280.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Schaan
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$207 MX$3,848
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$3,927 MX$73.2K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Schaan
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$43.35 MX$808
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$41.44 MX$772
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$74.2 MX$1,382
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$89.3 MX$1,663
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Schaan
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,827 CHF 1,513
$980 MX$18.2K
86.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$381 MX$7,095
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,052 CHF 2,527
$1,708 MX$31.8K
78.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,075 MX$20.0K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,554 CHF 7,910
$3,943 MX$73.5K
142.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,145 CHF 5,088
$6,158 MX$114.7K
-0.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Schaan
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,508 CHF 7,044
$735 MX$13.7K
1058.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4
11.45
-65.07%

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

Last update for Schaan: October 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Schaan
–
Playa del Carmen
$381
Groceries & Markets
Schaan
–
Playa del Carmen
$255
Eating Out
Schaan
–
Playa del Carmen
$202
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schaan
–
Playa del Carmen
$137
Clothing & Footwear
Schaan
–
Playa del Carmen
$112
Sport & Entertainment
Schaan
–
Playa del Carmen
$67
Getting Around
Schaan
–
Playa del Carmen
$50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,827 in Schaan versus $980 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 in Schaan are about 12 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Schaan versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $537 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇱🇮 Schaan
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
01:13 1:13 AM
19:13 7:13 PM
6 h behind Schaan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,000
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.828 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.922 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Schaan Playa del Carmen 8,820 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Schaan
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Schaan?
Yes – Schaan is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,921 per month in Schaan and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,827 in Schaan.
How do food prices compare in Schaan and in Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 111% more in Schaan, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Schaan or in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Schaan and $43 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 enough for either Schaan or Playa del Carmen?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,281 in Schaan and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Schaan or in Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,281 in Schaan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Schaan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Schaan vs other spots: cost of living compared

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