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 $894 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,355 per month in Chang-hua vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,815 per month in Chang-hua vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Chang-hua is about 31% 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 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 NT$129

$11.71 MX$199

-65.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.91 NT$1,044

$46.59 MX$791

-29.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.10 NT$194

$11.65 MX$198

-47.64%

Cappuccino

$1.65 NT$52.3

$4.09 MX$69.5

-59.66%

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

$0.94 NT$29.79

$1.37 MX$23.34

-31.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 NT$19.29

$0.83 MX$14.16

-26.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 NT$44.52

$3.35 MX$56.9

-58.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NT$72.1

$6.91 MX$117

-67.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 NT$74.6

$1.73 MX$29.33

35.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 NT$64.5

$2.26 MX$38.39

-10.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NT$91.3

$1.77 MX$30.05

62.71%

Eggs

$2.72 NT$86.2

$2.73 MX$46.41

-0.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.36 NT$519

$9.18 MX$156

78.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 NT$320

$8.92 MX$151

13.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.88 NT$694

$12.60 MX$214

73.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 NT$160

$3.02 MX$51.3

67.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 NT$105

$1.57 MX$26.68

111.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.9

$2.13 MX$36.10

41.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 NT$99.5

$2.26 MX$38.46

38.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 NT$85.4

$2.00 MX$34.04

34.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.0

$2.06 MX$35.06

7.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 NT$55.5

$1.18 MX$20.04

48.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$25.56

$1.20 MX$20.45

-32.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 NT$128

$4.63 MX$78.7

-12.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NT$297

$10.69 MX$182

-12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NT$46.33

$1.62 MX$27.50

-9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 NT$70.5

$2.88 MX$48.93

-22.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 NT$49.04

$0.57 MX$9.74

171.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.54 NT$1,096

$29.83 MX$507

15.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$85.6

$5.45 MX$92.5

-50.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.82

$3.70 MX$62.9

-79.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.73 NT$309

$5.98 MX$102

62.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.37

$1.55 MX$26.38

-34.19%

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

$33.5K NT$1.1M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

50.19%

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

$24.4K NT$774.1K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-5.97%

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

$31.05 NT$985

$89.1 MX$1,514

-65.16%

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

$18.25 NT$579

$25.04 MX$425

-27.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 NT$598

$31.50 MX$535

-40.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.87 NT$1,011

$67.8 MX$1,151

-52.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 NT$293

$5.05 MX$85.8

83.17%

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

$630 NT$20.0K

$225 MX$3,820

180.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,739 NT$245.5K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

83.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 NT$1,590

$47.44 MX$806

5.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.20 NT$482

$44.98 MX$764

-66.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 NT$2,546

$82.0 MX$1,392

-2.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.0 NT$1,617

$92.1 MX$1,564

-44.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 NT$8,159

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-75.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 NT$5,421

$405 MX$6,884

-57.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 NT$15.8K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-74.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 NT$5,486

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-86.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,061 NT$97.1K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-23.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,650 NT$52.3K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-75.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,024 NT$64.2K

$749 MX$12.7K

170.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.2

11.45

-80.79%

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

Last update for Chang-hua: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Chang-hua 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 170% 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 $33.00 in Chang-hua versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Chang-hua vs $277 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 45% 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 $1,342 per month in Chang-hua 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 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 $894 in Chang-hua 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 16% 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 $894, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $894 versus $1,293 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.