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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chengdu is 45% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 45.1% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chengdu is 25.7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 50.8% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chengdu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.86 ¥20.51
$11.99 MX$227
-76.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.94 ¥172
$42.47 MX$803
-43.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.83 ¥34.66
$10.47 MX$198
-53.87%
Cappuccino
$2.86 ¥20.52
$3.6 MX$68.2
-20.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 ¥3.15
$1.44 MX$27.16
-69.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 ¥1.98
$0.89 MX$16.79
-68.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.13 ¥8.1
$3.09 MX$58.5
-63.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 ¥14.83
$4.58 MX$86.6
-54.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chengdu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.77 ¥12.66
$1.38 MX$26.04
28.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ¥10.53
$1.85 MX$34.9
-20.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.93 ¥6.69
$1.57 MX$29.68
-40.76%
Eggs
$1.94 ¥13.92
$2.55 MX$48.3
-23.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.48 ¥96.7
$8.61 MX$163
56.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.68 ¥26.42
$8.54 MX$161
-56.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.11 ¥79.7
$10.98 MX$208
1.18%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ¥13.33
$2.72 MX$51.4
-31.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.18 ¥8.48
$1.51 MX$28.57
-21.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.44 ¥10.31
$1.88 MX$35.63
-23.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.02 ¥7.32
$2.19 MX$41.42
-53.42%
Potato (1kg)
$0.71 ¥5.08
$1.87 MX$35.3
-62.03%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ¥5.32
$2.19 MX$41.37
-66.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.6 ¥4.28
$1.07 MX$20.23
-43.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ¥4.15
$1.09 MX$20.64
-46.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.24 ¥23.27
$3.96 MX$74.9
-18.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.92 ¥49.63
$8.86 MX$167
-21.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 ¥6.68
$1.72 MX$32.53
-45.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 ¥13.3
$2.61 MX$49.37
-29.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Chengdu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.44 ¥3.13
$0.52 MX$9.74
-15.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.31 ¥196
$26.59 MX$503
2.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.22 ¥8.74
$3.24 MX$61.2
-62.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 ¥2.02
$2.38 MX$44.94
-88.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.16 ¥29.86
$3.11 MX$58.7
33.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 ¥8.11
$1.31 MX$24.85
-13.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.6K ¥133.6K
$30.3K MX$573K
-38.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.4K ¥118K
$24K MX$453.6K
-31.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chengdu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.03 ¥323
$84.2 MX$1,592
-46.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.42 ¥81.9
$22.14 MX$419
-48.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.71 ¥84
$30.14 MX$570
-61.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chengdu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.72 ¥170
$52 MX$983
-54.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.5 ¥82.5
$18.72 MX$354
-38.57%
Cinema Ticket
$5.68 ¥40.78
$5.07 MX$95.9
12.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chengdu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$335 ¥2,400
$200 MX$3,787
67.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K ¥88.3K
$5,333 MX$100.8K
130.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chengdu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.28 ¥267
$35.74 MX$676
4.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.32 ¥282
$39.8 MX$753
-1.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.8 ¥472
$79 MX$1,493
-16.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.78 ¥357
$88.4 MX$1,671
-43.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chengdu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$314 ¥2,254
$965 MX$18.3K
-67.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$182 ¥1,309
$474 MX$8,968
-61.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$624 ¥4,478
$1,653 MX$31.2K
-62.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$324 ¥2,321
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-73.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,049 ¥29K
$3,081 MX$58.3K
31.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,039 ¥14.6K
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-72.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chengdu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$940 ¥6,741
$792 MX$15K
18.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.21
11.42
-63.13%

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

Last update for Chengdu: October 27, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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