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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,355 per month in Vaduz vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,382 per month in Vaduz vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,408 per month in Vaduz vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vaduz costs about 159% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Vaduz sits 150% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.55 CHF 28.82

$11.73 MX$203

211.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 115

$41.62 MX$720

251.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.66 CHF 14.71

$10.64 MX$184

75.38%

Cappuccino

$6.63 CHF 5.23

$3.52 MX$60.9

88.35%

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

$4.33 CHF 3.42

$1.51 MX$26.12

186.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 CHF 3.42

$0.97 MX$16.84

347.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.59 CHF 5.98

$2.95 MX$51.0

157.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 CHF 4.90

$4.45 MX$77.0

39.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.88 CHF 2.27

$1.38 MX$23.93

108.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 CHF 2.81

$1.89 MX$32.72

88.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 CHF 2.44

$1.64 MX$28.32

88.41%

Eggs

$10.71 CHF 8.44

$2.51 MX$43.34

326.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.18 CHF 22.22

$8.34 MX$144

237.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.86 CHF 19.60

$8.34 MX$144

198.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$56.3 CHF 44.38

$10.73 MX$186

424.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.88

$2.60 MX$45.04

40.77%

Banana (1kg)

$4.16 CHF 3.28

$1.46 MX$25.20

184.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CHF 3.44

$1.90 MX$32.87

129.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 CHF 2.21

$2.08 MX$35.91

34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CHF 2.13

$1.78 MX$30.71

52.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 CHF 1.87

$2.19 MX$37.80

8.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 CHF 1.88

$1.04 MX$17.99

129.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CHF 1.29

$1.08 MX$18.62

51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 CHF 9.60

$4.08 MX$70.6

198.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.16 CHF 15.11

$10.32 MX$178

85.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$1.71 MX$29.61

26.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 CHF 1.49

$2.58 MX$44.54

-26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.88 CHF 3.06

$0.51 MX$8.81

660.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.6 CHF 73.0

$26.46 MX$458

249.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 CHF 1.51

$3.26 MX$56.4

-41.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.52 CHF 4.35

$2.49 MX$43.09

121.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 CHF 7.00

$3.25 MX$56.2

173.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$1.31 MX$22.61

83.21%

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

$35.0K CHF 27.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

15.72%

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

$33.8K CHF 26.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

44.40%

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

$220 CHF 173

$82.9 MX$1,433

165.13%

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

$39.38 CHF 31.05

$22.22 MX$384

77.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.7 CHF 57.3

$29.34 MX$507

147.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.3 CHF 64.9

$51.6 MX$893

59.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.68 CHF 19.46

$18.32 MX$317

34.72%

Cinema Ticket

$24.51 CHF 19.33

$5.07 MX$87.6

383.43%

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

$306 CHF 241

$201 MX$3,473

52.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CHF 12.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

215.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$131 CHF 103

$36.92 MX$639

254.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 CHF 41.99

$39.79 MX$688

33.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$179 CHF 141

$78.5 MX$1,357

127.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$229 CHF 181

$87.1 MX$1,506

162.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 CHF 1,081

$973 MX$16.8K

40.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 CHF 1,041

$468 MX$8,090

182.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,909 CHF 2,293

$1,641 MX$28.4K

77.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 CHF 1,875

$1,221 MX$21.1K

94.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.6K CHF 13.9K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

345.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,182 CHF 5,663

$6,498 MX$112.4K

10.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,479 CHF 7,473

$664 MX$11.5K

1327.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.21

11.42

-36.87%

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

Last update for Vaduz: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,371 in Vaduz 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 1328% higher in Vaduz, 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 $146 in Vaduz versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $667 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

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

Yes – Vaduz is pricier by about 159%, 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 $5,033 per month in Vaduz 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,355 in Vaduz and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 250% 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 $1,297, than in Vaduz at $3,355. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vaduz 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, Vaduz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.