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 $3,151 per month in Schaffhausen vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,139 per month in Schaffhausen vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,126 per month in Schaffhausen vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Schaffhausen costs about 141% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Schaffhausen sits 129% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.20 CHF 25.46

$11.96 MX$203

160.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.0

$47.38 MX$804

156.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.87 CHF 15.40

$11.75 MX$199

60.60%

Cappuccino

$5.75 CHF 4.69

$4.12 MX$70.0

39.56%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.47

$1.40 MX$23.74

290.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 CHF 4.07

$0.91 MX$15.48

448.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.73 CHF 7.13

$3.21 MX$54.4

171.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 CHF 6.09

$7.07 MX$120

5.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.81

$1.68 MX$28.44

31.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 CHF 3.38

$2.15 MX$36.48

93.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 CHF 3.55

$1.77 MX$30.10

146.33%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.40

$2.82 MX$47.76

178.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.35 CHF 23.14

$9.20 MX$156

208.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.11 CHF 26.20

$9.23 MX$157

247.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.79 CHF 35.74

$12.64 MX$214

246.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 CHF 3.20

$2.95 MX$50.1

32.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$1.58 MX$26.79

38.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.59

$2.22 MX$37.70

42.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 CHF 4.63

$2.36 MX$40.09

140.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$1.99 MX$33.81

26.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$1.98 MX$33.58

13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CHF 2.00

$1.24 MX$21.04

98.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CHF 1.02

$1.21 MX$20.55

3.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 CHF 9.17

$4.60 MX$78.1

144.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 CHF 11.20

$10.52 MX$178

30.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.48

$1.69 MX$28.70

79.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CHF 3.24

$2.77 MX$47.06

43.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.22

$0.60 MX$10.22

558.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.4 CHF 81.1

$29.70 MX$504

234.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 CHF 5.11

$5.24 MX$88.8

19.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 CHF 3.11

$3.65 MX$61.9

4.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 CHF 50.2

$5.78 MX$98.1

964.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$1.54 MX$26.09

44.16%

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

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

96.14%

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

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

57.90%

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

$228 CHF 186

$90.7 MX$1,538

150.98%

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

$31.99 CHF 26.11

$25.19 MX$427

26.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 CHF 52.2

$31.75 MX$539

101.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 CHF 91.1

$68.8 MX$1,167

62.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.98 CHF 38.34

$29.37 MX$498

59.96%

Cinema Ticket

$23.97 CHF 19.56

$4.86 MX$82.5

393.21%

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

$3,228 CHF 2,634

$226 MX$3,828

1330.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

692.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$170 CHF 138

$47.38 MX$804

257.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 CHF 44.83

$43.45 MX$737

26.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$193 CHF 157

$80.2 MX$1,361

139.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 CHF 128

$91.4 MX$1,550

71.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 CHF 1,112

$1,086 MX$18.4K

25.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 CHF 980

$409 MX$6,933

193.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,710 CHF 2,212

$1,972 MX$33.5K

37.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 CHF 1,967

$1,281 MX$21.7K

88.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,369 CHF 6,830

$4,046 MX$68.6K

106.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,438 CHF 6,886

$6,704 MX$113.7K

25.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,296 CHF 5,954

$773 MX$13.1K

843.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.48

11.45

-78.34%

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

Last update for Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,362 in Schaffhausen 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 843% 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 $121 in Schaffhausen versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $651 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

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

Yes – Schaffhausen is pricier by about 141%, 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 $4,727 per month in Schaffhausen 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 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 $3,151 in Schaffhausen and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 235% 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 $1,305, than in Schaffhausen at $3,151. 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.