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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,132 per month in Schaffhausen vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,926 per month in Schaffhausen vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,720 per month in Schaffhausen vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Schaffhausen costs about 147% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Schaffhausen sits 133% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 24.29

$11.87 MX$207

156.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 99.4

$42.90 MX$749

189.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.82 CHF 12.65

$10.65 MX$186

48.54%

Cappuccino

$5.42 CHF 4.33

$3.45 MX$60.2

57.10%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.28

$1.50 MX$26.24

257.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.49

$0.95 MX$16.56

360.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 CHF 6.36

$3.03 MX$52.8

162.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CHF 5.88

$4.61 MX$80.4

59.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.57

$1.38 MX$24.01

42.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 3.01

$1.85 MX$32.24

103.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CHF 2.88

$1.61 MX$28.11

124.22%

Eggs

$7.87 CHF 6.29

$2.59 MX$45.26

203.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.45 CHF 23.54

$8.26 MX$144

256.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.04 CHF 28.01

$8.37 MX$146

318.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 41.39

$10.66 MX$186

385.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.94

$2.63 MX$45.89

39.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.86

$1.49 MX$25.96

56.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.35

$1.92 MX$33.50

53.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.91

$2.09 MX$36.41

193.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.94

$1.86 MX$32.42

30.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.99

$2.26 MX$39.47

10.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.05

$1.06 MX$18.54

141.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.02

$1.09 MX$18.98

17.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.77

$4.15 MX$72.4

164.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.33 CHF 9.85

$10.39 MX$181

18.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.09

$1.72 MX$30.09

-20.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.16

$2.61 MX$45.60

3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 CHF 3.18

$0.54 MX$9.46

637.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.3 CHF 69.7

$26.94 MX$470

223.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 CHF 8.11

$3.13 MX$54.6

224.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 CHF 3.11

$2.51 MX$43.82

54.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 CHF 48.41

$3.15 MX$55.0

1822.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.76

$1.27 MX$22.25

74.02%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.2K

$30.4K MX$530.1K

32.67%

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

$42.6K CHF 34.1K

$23.6K MX$411.3K

80.85%

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

$247 CHF 197

$83.0 MX$1,449

197.35%

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

$28.92 CHF 23.11

$22.71 MX$396

27.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.93 CHF 35.11

$29.46 MX$514

49.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 87.2

$51.0 MX$890

113.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.61 CHF 38.06

$18.33 MX$320

159.74%

Cinema Ticket

$22.53 CHF 18.01

$4.93 MX$86.0

357.00%

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

$3,388 CHF 2,708

$197 MX$3,444

1616.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.4K CHF 33.9K

$5,280 MX$92.1K

703.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CHF 89.1

$36.90 MX$644

202.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 CHF 53.1

$39.89 MX$696

66.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 CHF 103

$80.0 MX$1,396

61.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 CHF 124

$89.5 MX$1,561

73.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 CHF 972

$956 MX$16.7K

27.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 CHF 977

$477 MX$8,327

156.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 CHF 2,152

$1,646 MX$28.7K

63.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 CHF 1,756

$1,225 MX$21.4K

79.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,390 CHF 6,706

$3,918 MX$68.4K

114.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,769 CHF 5,410

$6,459 MX$112.7K

4.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,336 CHF 7,463

$667 MX$11.6K

1299.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

11.42

-78.11%

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

Last update for Schaffhausen: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,216 in Schaffhausen versus $956 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 1300% higher in Schaffhausen, 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 $124 in Schaffhausen versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $672 vs $250 – 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

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

Yes – Schaffhausen is pricier by about 147%, 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 $4,699 per month in Schaffhausen and $1,906 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,132 in Schaffhausen and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 224% 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 $1,271, than in Schaffhausen at $3,132. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Schaffhausen 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, Schaffhausen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.