Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,072 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,804 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,537 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 ¥28.44

$11.67 MX$203

-64.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.41 ¥187

$41.88 MX$728

-34.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥35.41

$10.40 MX$181

-50.19%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.93

$3.61 MX$62.9

-11.08%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$1.47 MX$25.54

-68.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.07

$0.91 MX$15.86

-67.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.75

$3.03 MX$52.8

-62.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥14.04

$4.47 MX$77.7

-54.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.78

$1.38 MX$23.91

24.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥11.19

$1.84 MX$32.04

-10.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.29

$1.61 MX$27.91

-33.54%

Eggs

$1.74 ¥11.89

$2.57 MX$44.67

-32.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ¥109

$8.49 MX$148

87.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ¥22.88

$8.49 MX$148

-60.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 ¥67.1

$10.99 MX$191

-10.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.29

$2.73 MX$47.42

-23.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ¥11.17

$1.50 MX$26.01

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.77

$1.96 MX$34.05

-12.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.81

$2.12 MX$36.83

-39.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.86

$1.86 MX$32.41

-53.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.63

$2.17 MX$37.80

-55.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.96

$1.07 MX$18.65

-31.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.86

$1.05 MX$18.24

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥23.23

$4.19 MX$72.9

-18.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 ¥72.1

$10.28 MX$179

2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.60

$1.67 MX$28.97

-50.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.54

$2.49 MX$43.27

-26.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.72

$0.54 MX$9.41

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥218

$26.27 MX$457

21.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ¥12.73

$3.10 MX$54.0

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.41

$2.46 MX$42.81

-85.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 ¥70.5

$3.24 MX$56.3

218.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.52

$1.26 MX$21.91

-12.70%

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

$18.9K ¥129.1K

$30.2K MX$524.6K

-37.45%

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

$15.3K ¥104.6K

$23.4K MX$407.7K

-34.75%

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

$53.1 ¥363

$84.0 MX$1,461

-36.77%

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

$8.61 ¥58.9

$22.21 MX$386

-61.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.56 ¥85.9

$29.65 MX$516

-57.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.03 ¥335

$52.6 MX$915

-6.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 ¥125

$18.34 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 ¥57.8

$4.95 MX$86.0

70.71%

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

$682 ¥4,662

$198 MX$3,449

243.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥164.5K

$5,322 MX$92.5K

351.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 ¥433

$35.95 MX$625

76.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.25 ¥241

$40.06 MX$697

-12.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥528

$78.8 MX$1,370

-2.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ¥689

$86.5 MX$1,504

16.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ¥6,096

$977 MX$17.0K

-8.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ¥3,066

$471 MX$8,186

-4.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,954 ¥13.4K

$1,595 MX$27.7K

22.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 ¥7,399

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-10.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥83.9K

$4,032 MX$70.1K

204.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,293 ¥43.0K

$6,579 MX$114.4K

-4.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,586 ¥10.8K

$714 MX$12.4K

122.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

11.42

-68.13%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $891 in Beijing (Pekin) 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 122% higher in Beijing (Pekin), which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $252 – making Beijing (Pekin) 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

Beijing (Pekin) vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,608 per month in Beijing (Pekin) 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 Beijing (Pekin), especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,072 in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Beijing (Pekin), where all-in costs run around $1,072, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Beijing (Pekin) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Beijing (Pekin) – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Beijing (Pekin). If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.