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 $3,172 per month in Schaffhausen vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,928 per month in Schaffhausen vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,685 per month in Schaffhausen vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Schaffhausen costs about 152% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Schaffhausen sits 137% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.30 CHF 25.55

$11.95 MX$208

161.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 99.4

$41.94 MX$731

190.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.11 CHF 13.15

$10.42 MX$182

54.61%

Cappuccino

$5.68 CHF 4.63

$3.51 MX$61.3

61.82%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.37

$1.52 MX$26.44

252.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.57

$0.91 MX$15.88

380.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 CHF 6.52

$3.04 MX$53.0

162.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 CHF 6.18

$4.37 MX$76.2

73.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.60

$1.42 MX$24.78

38.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 CHF 3.09

$1.83 MX$31.93

106.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$1.63 MX$28.51

126.38%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.40

$2.54 MX$44.29

208.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.80 CHF 24.32

$8.57 MX$149

247.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.49 CHF 28.97

$8.49 MX$148

318.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.0 CHF 41.59

$10.80 MX$188

371.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$2.75 MX$48.04

34.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.84

$1.44 MX$25.05

56.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.35

$1.89 MX$32.90

52.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.10 CHF 4.98

$2.17 MX$37.84

181.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$1.78 MX$31.03

39.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 2.03

$2.22 MX$38.79

11.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.18

$1.07 MX$18.64

149.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CHF 1.04

$1.08 MX$18.83

17.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 CHF 8.93

$4.15 MX$72.3

163.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 CHF 10.95

$10.45 MX$182

28.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.11

$1.74 MX$30.40

-21.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.12

$2.58 MX$45.01

0.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.22

$0.51 MX$8.95

674.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 69.9

$25.94 MX$452

230.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 CHF 8.20

$3.21 MX$56.0

213.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.04 CHF 3.30

$2.50 MX$43.64

61.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.9 CHF 50.5

$3.19 MX$55.6

1840.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.74

$1.26 MX$21.91

69.05%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

$29.7K MX$517.7K

33.70%

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

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

$23.7K MX$413.0K

79.19%

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

$247 CHF 202

$82.0 MX$1,430

201.21%

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

$28.70 CHF 23.42

$22.73 MX$396

26.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.94 CHF 35.05

$29.42 MX$513

45.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 88.6

$52.2 MX$910

107.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.47 CHF 38.74

$18.45 MX$322

157.29%

Cinema Ticket

$22.34 CHF 18.24

$4.93 MX$86.0

353.14%

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

$3,354 CHF 2,738

$202 MX$3,519

1562.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.5K CHF 35.5K

$5,217 MX$91.0K

732.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CHF 91.4

$35.93 MX$627

211.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.7 CHF 55.2

$40.33 MX$703

67.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 CHF 109

$79.9 MX$1,393

66.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 CHF 126

$89.3 MX$1,557

72.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 CHF 1,001

$948 MX$16.5K

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 CHF 1,018

$465 MX$8,114

168.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 CHF 2,171

$1,630 MX$28.4K

63.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,215 CHF 1,808

$1,193 MX$20.8K

85.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,226 CHF 6,714

$3,933 MX$68.6K

109.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,564 CHF 6,990

$6,428 MX$112.1K

33.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,453 CHF 6,083

$658 MX$11.5K

1032.21%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,226 in Schaffhausen versus $948 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 1032% 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 $122 in Schaffhausen versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $675 vs $252 – 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 152%, 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 $4,758 per month in Schaffhausen and $1,888 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 $3,172 in Schaffhausen and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 230% 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 $1,259, than in Schaffhausen at $3,172. 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.