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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,931 per month in Schaffhausen vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,712 per month in Schaffhausen vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Schaffhausen costs about 150% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Schaffhausen sits 135% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.31 CHF 24.55

$11.67 MX$202

168.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 CHF 98.1

$41.88 MX$726

198.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.86 CHF 12.43

$10.40 MX$180

52.50%

Cappuccino

$5.43 CHF 4.26

$3.61 MX$62.6

50.42%

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

$5.42 CHF 4.25

$1.47 MX$25.45

268.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 CHF 3.47

$0.91 MX$15.80

385.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 CHF 6.43

$3.03 MX$52.6

170.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.59 CHF 5.95

$4.47 MX$77.4

69.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 CHF 1.49

$1.38 MX$23.83

37.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 2.97

$1.84 MX$31.93

105.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.55 CHF 2.79

$1.61 MX$27.82

120.50%

Eggs

$7.66 CHF 6.01

$2.57 MX$44.52

198.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.66 CHF 23.25

$8.49 MX$147

249.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.28 CHF 27.66

$8.49 MX$147

315.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 40.59

$10.99 MX$190

371.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 CHF 2.95

$2.73 MX$47.25

38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.76

$1.50 MX$25.92

49.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.25

$1.96 MX$33.93

46.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.02 CHF 4.72

$2.12 MX$36.70

183.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.93

$1.86 MX$32.30

32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.92

$2.17 MX$37.67

12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.10

$1.07 MX$18.59

149.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.01

$1.05 MX$18.18

21.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 8.85

$4.19 MX$72.6

169.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CHF 10.90

$10.28 MX$178

35.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.07

$1.67 MX$28.87

-18.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.15

$2.49 MX$43.12

10.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.79 CHF 2.97

$0.54 MX$9.37

601.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 CHF 66.7

$26.27 MX$455

224.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 CHF 7.91

$3.10 MX$53.8

225.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.22

$2.46 MX$42.66

67.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.3 CHF 48.83

$3.24 MX$56.1

1822.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$1.26 MX$21.83

70.63%

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

$40.9K CHF 32.0K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

35.44%

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

$42.5K CHF 33.3K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

81.23%

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

$242 CHF 190

$84.0 MX$1,456

188.56%

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

$28.69 CHF 22.49

$22.21 MX$385

29.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.53 CHF 34.13

$29.65 MX$514

46.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 85.7

$52.6 MX$912

107.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.51 CHF 37.25

$18.34 MX$318

159.05%

Cinema Ticket

$22.50 CHF 17.64

$4.95 MX$85.7

354.55%

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

$3,325 CHF 2,607

$198 MX$3,438

1576.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.6K CHF 34.1K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

718.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CHF 87.9

$35.95 MX$623

211.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 CHF 53.5

$40.06 MX$694

70.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 CHF 102

$78.8 MX$1,365

64.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 CHF 124

$86.5 MX$1,499

82.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 CHF 952

$977 MX$16.9K

24.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 CHF 957

$471 MX$8,158

159.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 CHF 2,159

$1,595 MX$27.6K

72.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CHF 1,696

$1,215 MX$21.1K

78.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,567 CHF 6,717

$4,032 MX$69.9K

112.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,910 CHF 5,417

$6,579 MX$114.0K

5.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,437 CHF 7,398

$714 MX$12.4K

1221.37%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,214 in Schaffhausen versus $977 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 1221% 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 $125 in Schaffhausen versus $42 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 150%, 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 $4,726 per month in Schaffhausen and $1,891 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 $1,261 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 $1,261, 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.