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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,124 per month in Kinmen vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,864 per month in Kinmen vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,603 per month in Kinmen vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kinmen is about 13% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kinmen and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kinmen 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 NT$165

$11.73 MX$203

-55.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.74 NT$967

$41.62 MX$720

-26.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$172

$10.64 MX$184

-48.68%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NT$91.5

$3.52 MX$60.9

-17.33%

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

$1.09 NT$34.45

$1.51 MX$26.12

-27.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.33

$0.97 MX$16.84

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 NT$59.4

$2.95 MX$51.0

-35.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 NT$83.2

$4.45 MX$77.0

-40.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.26 NT$103

$1.38 MX$23.93

136.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NT$59.9

$1.89 MX$32.72

0.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 NT$87.9

$1.64 MX$28.32

70.12%

Eggs

$2.84 NT$89.3

$2.51 MX$43.34

13.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.85 NT$593

$8.34 MX$144

126.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 NT$252

$8.34 MX$144

-4.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.25 NT$543

$10.73 MX$186

60.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 NT$144

$2.60 MX$45.04

76.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NT$80.7

$1.46 MX$25.20

75.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 NT$84.2

$1.90 MX$32.87

40.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 NT$110

$2.08 MX$35.91

67.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 NT$90.3

$1.78 MX$30.71

61.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$70.4

$2.19 MX$37.80

2.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 NT$61.7

$1.04 MX$17.99

88.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NT$39.49

$1.08 MX$18.62

15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 NT$132

$4.08 MX$70.6

2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 NT$453

$10.32 MX$178

39.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 NT$52.1

$1.71 MX$29.61

-2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 NT$77.8

$2.58 MX$44.54

-4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$27.89

$0.51 MX$8.81

74.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.20 NT$1,234

$26.46 MX$458

48.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$92.5

$3.26 MX$56.4

-9.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$24.35

$2.49 MX$43.09

-69.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.28 NT$324

$3.25 MX$56.2

216.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.49

$1.31 MX$22.61

-19.08%

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

$35.9K NT$1.1M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

18.43%

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

$25.7K NT$808.1K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

9.57%

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

$86.4 NT$2,719

$82.9 MX$1,433

4.22%

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

$24.55 NT$773

$22.22 MX$384

10.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.48 NT$708

$29.34 MX$507

-23.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.74 NT$1,156

$51.6 MX$893

-28.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.18 NT$478

$18.32 MX$317

-17.14%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 NT$317

$5.07 MX$87.6

98.42%

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

$419 NT$13.2K

$201 MX$3,473

108.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K NT$482.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

194.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.1 NT$2,647

$36.92 MX$639

127.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.75 NT$1,094

$39.79 MX$688

-12.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 NT$2,864

$78.5 MX$1,357

15.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,244

$87.1 MX$1,506

18.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 NT$13.8K

$973 MX$16.8K

-54.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 NT$8,994

$468 MX$8,090

-38.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 NT$32.6K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-36.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 NT$23.3K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-39.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,661 NT$241.2K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

94.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,295 NT$166.7K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-18.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

11.42

-80.91%

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

Last update for Kinmen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Kinmen 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Kinmen versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $367 in Kinmen 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,686 per month in Kinmen 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 Kinmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $419 per month in Kinmen and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 47% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kinmen, where all-in costs run around $1,124, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Kinmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kinmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kinmen. 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.