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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $699 per month in Jilin vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,119 per month in Jilin vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,539 per month in Jilin vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jilin is about 45% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jilin and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Jilin 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥19.45

$11.61 MX$201

-75.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.10 ¥144

$42.75 MX$740

-50.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 ¥32.34

$10.60 MX$184

-55.28%

Cappuccino

$3.27 ¥22.32

$3.59 MX$62.2

-8.91%

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

$0.44 ¥2.99

$1.45 MX$25.15

-69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ¥1.50

$0.90 MX$15.55

-75.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.80

$3.03 MX$52.5

-62.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥14.36

$4.56 MX$79.0

-53.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ¥11.59

$1.45 MX$25.14

17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ¥10.58

$1.83 MX$31.64

-15.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.18

$1.61 MX$27.85

-43.48%

Eggs

$1.64 ¥11.18

$2.54 MX$43.95

-35.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 ¥86.1

$8.54 MX$148

47.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ¥20.92

$8.47 MX$147

-63.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 ¥70.8

$10.86 MX$188

-4.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.94

$2.73 MX$47.26

-35.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.16

$1.49 MX$25.85

-19.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ¥9.33

$1.94 MX$33.65

-29.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.67

$2.16 MX$37.49

-48.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.70

$1.85 MX$31.97

-62.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.59

$2.19 MX$37.91

-56.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.07

$1.07 MX$18.58

-43.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.70

$1.08 MX$18.76

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ¥21.07

$4.06 MX$70.3

-23.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 ¥70.1

$10.46 MX$181

-1.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥5.52

$1.65 MX$28.64

-50.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.20

$2.55 MX$44.13

-35.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.56 MX$9.63

-51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.88 ¥115

$26.20 MX$454

-35.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 ¥6.90

$3.14 MX$54.4

-67.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.21

$2.37 MX$41.08

-86.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 ¥45.09

$3.24 MX$56.1

103.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.94

$1.31 MX$22.76

-11.45%

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

$19.6K ¥133.9K

$30.5K MX$528.9K

-35.79%

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

$16.4K ¥111.9K

$23.8K MX$412.6K

-31.25%

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

$46.28 ¥316

$83.1 MX$1,440

-44.33%

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

$9.97 ¥68.1

$22.15 MX$384

-54.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.35 ¥77.5

$29.37 MX$509

-61.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.92 ¥286

$51.2 MX$887

-18.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥95.9

$18.69 MX$324

-24.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 ¥43.99

$4.89 MX$84.7

31.70%

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

$339 ¥2,318

$199 MX$3,441

70.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥115.9K

$5,207 MX$90.2K

225.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.08 ¥294

$35.93 MX$622

19.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.15 ¥206

$39.39 MX$682

-23.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 ¥497

$80.3 MX$1,391

-9.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ¥508

$87.6 MX$1,517

-15.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥1,929

$963 MX$16.7K

-70.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ¥1,280

$482 MX$8,350

-61.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ¥3,970

$1,645 MX$28.5K

-64.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 ¥2,450

$1,192 MX$20.6K

-69.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,250 ¥22.2K

$3,957 MX$68.5K

-17.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,129 ¥14.5K

$6,513 MX$112.8K

-67.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$447 ¥3,056

$726 MX$12.6K

-38.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

11.42

-66.11%

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

Last update for Jilin: April 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Jilin versus $963 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 62% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21 in Jilin versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $253 – making Jilin 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 80% more than Jilin, 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 $1,049 per month in Jilin and $1,894 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 Jilin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $339 per month in Jilin and $199 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jilin, where all-in costs run around $699, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. In Jilin 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. Jilin costs $699 versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Jilin. 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.