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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,066 in Chiayi versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,512 in Chiayi versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,957 in Chiayi versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chiayi costs roughly 18% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiayi 23% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 NT$152

$11.96 MX$203

-59.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.39 NT$1,530

$47.38 MX$804

2.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 NT$191

$11.75 MX$199

-48.51%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NT$110

$4.12 MX$70.0

-15.53%

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

$0.90 NT$28.58

$1.40 MX$23.74

-35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$20.99

$0.91 MX$15.48

-27.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 NT$90.1

$3.21 MX$54.4

-11.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 NT$121

$7.07 MX$120

-45.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 NT$99.6

$1.68 MX$28.44

87.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 NT$62.0

$2.15 MX$36.48

-8.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 NT$101

$1.77 MX$30.10

80.79%

Eggs

$2.78 NT$87.9

$2.82 MX$47.76

-1.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.06 NT$634

$9.20 MX$156

118.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 NT$312

$9.23 MX$157

6.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.01 NT$696

$12.64 MX$214

74.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 NT$157

$2.95 MX$50.1

67.80%

Banana (1kg)

$3.41 NT$108

$1.58 MX$26.79

115.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.6

$2.22 MX$37.70

34.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 NT$141

$2.36 MX$40.09

88.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 NT$90.0

$1.99 MX$33.81

43.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 NT$72.9

$1.98 MX$33.58

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 NT$53.8

$1.24 MX$21.04

37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.16

$1.21 MX$20.55

-2.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 NT$126

$4.60 MX$78.1

-13.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.64 NT$147

$10.52 MX$178

-55.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$54.8

$1.69 MX$28.70

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NT$69.5

$2.77 MX$47.06

-20.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.53 NT$396

$29.70 MX$504

-57.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 NT$86.8

$5.24 MX$88.8

-47.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 NT$13.28

$3.65 MX$61.9

-88.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 NT$299

$5.78 MX$98.1

63.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.09

$1.54 MX$26.09

-34.42%

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

$34.3K NT$1.1M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

50.22%

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

$24.9K NT$786.9K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-3.62%

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

$66.9 NT$2,114

$90.7 MX$1,538

-26.27%

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

$17.89 NT$566

$25.19 MX$427

-28.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.41 NT$867

$31.75 MX$539

-13.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.38 NT$992

$68.8 MX$1,167

-54.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 NT$294

$4.86 MX$82.5

91.36%

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

$632 NT$20.0K

$226 MX$3,828

179.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K NT$539.2K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

306.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 NT$1,952

$47.38 MX$804

30.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 NT$1,267

$43.45 MX$737

-7.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 NT$2,668

$80.2 MX$1,361

5.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 NT$3,295

$91.4 MX$1,550

14.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 NT$12.2K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-64.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 NT$8,163

$409 MX$6,933

-36.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,228 NT$102.1K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-20.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,939 NT$61.3K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-71.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,155 NT$68.1K

$773 MX$13.1K

178.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

11.45

-79.04%

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

Last update for Chiayi: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Chiayi and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 179% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Chiayi vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiayi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 179% higher in Chiayi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $386 in Chiayi versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,066 per month in Chiayi versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 137% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,066 in Chiayi versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiayi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chiayi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiayi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,066 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiayi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiayi and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiayi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.