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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,226 per month in Schaan vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Schaan vs $3,065 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 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.76 CHF 21.89

$11.73 MX$203

136.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 CHF 64.1

$41.62 MX$720

95.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.64 CHF 11.54

$10.64 MX$184

37.59%

Cappuccino

$6.60 CHF 5.21

$3.52 MX$60.9

87.50%

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

$3.09 CHF 2.44

$1.51 MX$26.12

104.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CHF 4.72

$0.97 MX$16.84

517.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 CHF 3.99

$2.95 MX$51.0

71.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 CHF 2.90

$4.45 MX$77.0

-17.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 CHF 1.53

$1.38 MX$23.93

40.58%

White Bread (500g)

$4.96 CHF 3.91

$1.89 MX$32.72

162.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

Eggs

$6.06 CHF 4.78

$2.51 MX$43.34

141.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.16 CHF 22.99

$8.34 MX$144

249.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.30 CHF 19.16

$8.34 MX$144

191.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.52 CHF 38.25

$10.73 MX$186

352.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$8.75 CHF 6.90

$2.08 MX$35.91

320.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CHF 1.90

$1.08 MX$18.62

123.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 CHF 9.94

$10.32 MX$178

22.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 CHF 1.96

$0.51 MX$8.81

388.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.43 CHF 1.92

$1.31 MX$22.61

85.50%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$86.3 CHF 68.0

$82.9 MX$1,433

4.14%

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

$33.81 CHF 26.65

$22.22 MX$384

52.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.23 CHF 34.87

$29.34 MX$507

50.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$124 CHF 98.0

$51.6 MX$893

140.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$19.84 CHF 15.65

$5.07 MX$87.6

291.32%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 CHF 1,444

$973 MX$16.8K

88.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,072 CHF 2,422

$1,641 MX$28.4K

87.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CHF 8,084

$3,946 MX$68.3K

159.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,324 CHF 4,986

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-2.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,008 CHF 7,102

$664 MX$11.5K

1256.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-64.97%

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

Last update for Schaan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,831 in Schaan versus $973 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 1257% higher in Schaan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Schaan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $249 – 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 $1,948 per month in Schaan and $1,945 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 119% more in Schaan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Schaan and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Schaan at $1,299. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Schaan 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, Schaan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.