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 $3,246 per month in Vaduz vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,379 per month in Vaduz vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,513 per month in Vaduz vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vaduz costs about 151% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Vaduz sits 136% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.54 CHF 30.31

$11.71 MX$198

220.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 118

$46.59 MX$788

214.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.69 CHF 15.09

$11.65 MX$197

60.43%

Cappuccino

$6.40 CHF 5.17

$4.09 MX$69.2

56.48%

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

$4.24 CHF 3.43

$1.37 MX$23.23

209.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 CHF 3.39

$0.83 MX$14.09

406.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 CHF 5.88

$3.35 MX$56.7

117.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 CHF 4.86

$6.91 MX$117

-12.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.00 CHF 2.42

$1.73 MX$29.20

73.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 CHF 2.91

$2.26 MX$38.21

59.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 CHF 2.45

$1.77 MX$29.91

71.19%

Eggs

$10.80 CHF 8.72

$2.73 MX$46.19

295.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.40 CHF 22.13

$9.18 MX$155

198.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.54 CHF 19.82

$8.92 MX$151

175.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$55.4 CHF 44.73

$12.60 MX$213

339.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CHF 2.95

$3.02 MX$51.1

20.86%

Banana (1kg)

$4.09 CHF 3.30

$1.57 MX$26.55

160.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.40

$2.13 MX$35.93

97.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 CHF 2.31

$2.26 MX$38.28

26.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 CHF 2.23

$2.00 MX$33.88

38.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.72

$2.06 MX$34.90

3.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$1.18 MX$19.94

85.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.62

$1.20 MX$20.35

67.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.05 CHF 10.54

$4.63 MX$78.4

181.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.33 CHF 14.80

$10.69 MX$181

71.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CHF 2.25

$1.62 MX$27.38

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CHF 2.52

$2.88 MX$48.70

8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CHF 2.17

$0.57 MX$9.69

371.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$125 CHF 101

$29.83 MX$504

317.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 CHF 1.57

$5.45 MX$92.1

-64.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.27 CHF 5.06

$3.70 MX$62.6

69.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.48 CHF 2.01

$1.55 MX$26.26

60.00%

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

$37.6K CHF 30.4K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

68.42%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.7K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

55.87%

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

$252 CHF 203

$89.1 MX$1,507

182.43%

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

$40.52 CHF 32.72

$25.04 MX$423

61.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 CHF 55.9

$31.50 MX$532

119.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.2 CHF 66.4

$67.8 MX$1,146

21.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.88 CHF 15.24

$28.92 MX$489

-34.72%

Cinema Ticket

$25.18 CHF 20.34

$5.05 MX$85.4

398.61%

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

$377 CHF 304

$225 MX$3,803

67.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K CHF 14.2K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

315.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 114

$47.44 MX$802

197.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 CHF 40.49

$44.98 MX$760

11.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$176 CHF 142

$82.0 MX$1,386

114.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$224 CHF 181

$92.1 MX$1,557

143.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 CHF 1,103

$1,069 MX$18.1K

27.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 CHF 948

$405 MX$6,852

189.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,006 CHF 2,428

$1,935 MX$32.7K

55.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,462 CHF 1,988

$1,301 MX$22.0K

89.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K CHF 13.4K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

316.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,118 CHF 5,748

$6,626 MX$112.0K

7.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,425 CHF 7,611

$749 MX$12.7K

1158.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.25

11.45

-36.68%

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

Last update for Vaduz: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,366 in Vaduz versus $1,069 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 1159% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $669 vs $277 – 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 151%, 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 $4,869 per month in Vaduz and $1,940 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 $3,246 in Vaduz and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 317% 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 $1,293, than in Vaduz at $3,246. 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.