Cost of Living Comparison Between Chang-hua and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Chang-hua and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $904 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,361 per month in Chang-hua vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,819 per month in Chang-hua vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Chang-hua is about 30% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chang-hua and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Chang-hua 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 NT$118

$11.73 MX$203

-67.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.15 NT$855

$41.62 MX$720

-34.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 NT$178

$10.64 MX$184

-46.99%

Cappuccino

$1.84 NT$57.8

$3.52 MX$60.9

-47.73%

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

$0.88 NT$27.63

$1.51 MX$26.12

-41.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 NT$14.54

$0.97 MX$16.84

-52.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 NT$45.62

$2.95 MX$51.0

-50.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NT$62.3

$4.45 MX$77.0

-55.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 NT$86.9

$1.38 MX$23.93

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$60.1

$1.89 MX$32.72

1.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 NT$99.9

$1.64 MX$28.32

93.29%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.7

$2.51 MX$43.34

15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.14 NT$540

$8.34 MX$144

105.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 NT$246

$8.34 MX$144

-6.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 NT$634

$10.73 MX$186

87.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 NT$164

$2.60 MX$45.04

100.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.1

$1.46 MX$25.20

97.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 NT$86.7

$1.90 MX$32.87

44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 NT$102

$2.08 MX$35.91

55.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 NT$86.5

$1.78 MX$30.71

54.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.0

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 NT$59.0

$1.04 MX$17.99

79.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$25.47

$1.08 MX$18.62

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 NT$124

$4.08 MX$70.6

-3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 NT$302

$10.32 MX$178

-6.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 NT$49.26

$1.71 MX$29.61

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$75.8

$2.58 MX$44.54

-6.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 NT$54.0

$0.51 MX$8.81

237.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 NT$1,175

$26.46 MX$458

41.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 NT$93.0

$3.26 MX$56.4

-9.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.68

$2.49 MX$43.09

-68.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 NT$324

$3.25 MX$56.2

216.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.18

$1.31 MX$22.61

-22.14%

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

$38.6K NT$1.2M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

27.38%

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

$27.5K NT$864.1K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

17.16%

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

$34.13 NT$1,074

$82.9 MX$1,433

-58.82%

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

$18.70 NT$589

$22.22 MX$384

-15.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.26 NT$638

$29.34 MX$507

-30.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.09 NT$821

$51.6 MX$893

-49.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.35 NT$483

$18.32 MX$317

-16.21%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 NT$317

$5.07 MX$87.6

98.62%

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

$643 NT$20.2K

$201 MX$3,473

220.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,353 NT$262.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

60.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 NT$1,692

$36.92 MX$639

45.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.87 NT$531

$39.79 MX$688

-57.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 NT$2,647

$78.5 MX$1,357

7.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 NT$1,692

$87.1 MX$1,506

-38.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 NT$9,829

$973 MX$16.8K

-67.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 NT$5,974

$468 MX$8,090

-59.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 NT$17.2K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-66.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 NT$5,953

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-84.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,014 NT$94.9K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-23.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,682 NT$52.9K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-74.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,015 NT$63.4K

$664 MX$11.5K

203.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

11.42

-80.82%

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

Last update for Chang-hua: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $312 in Chang-hua 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 203% higher in Chang-hua, 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 $27.00 in Chang-hua versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Chang-hua vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% more than Chang-hua, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,355 per month in Chang-hua 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 Chang-hua, 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 $904 in Chang-hua 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 41% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $904, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chang-hua costs $904 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chang-hua. 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.