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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $455 per month in Longyan vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $753 per month in Longyan vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,052 per month in Longyan vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Longyan is about 64% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Longyan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Longyan 67% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ¥20.32

$11.60 MX$199

-73.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.97 ¥147

$47.11 MX$808

-53.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 ¥35.04

$11.88 MX$204

-55.98%

Cappuccino

$2.25 ¥15.06

$3.98 MX$68.2

-43.47%

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

$0.49 ¥3.27

$1.43 MX$24.46

-65.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.82 MX$14.14

-67.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 ¥5.70

$3.19 MX$54.7

-73.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.22

$6.79 MX$116

-75.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.87

$1.68 MX$28.72

23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ¥9.81

$2.20 MX$37.67

-33.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.75

$1.71 MX$29.29

-58.48%

Eggs

$1.51 ¥10.14

$2.74 MX$46.99

-44.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 ¥49.14

$9.58 MX$164

-23.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 ¥19.83

$9.01 MX$154

-67.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 ¥62.1

$12.81 MX$220

-27.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.47

$2.89 MX$49.52

-35.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.79

$1.50 MX$25.67

-12.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ¥11.37

$2.15 MX$36.83

-20.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.48

$2.26 MX$38.74

-50.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.67

$1.98 MX$33.96

-57.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.60

$1.99 MX$34.11

-50.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ¥2.89

$1.23 MX$21.16

-65.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$1.20 MX$20.52

-56.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ¥21.87

$4.55 MX$78.0

-28.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 ¥81.1

$10.37 MX$178

16.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥5.14

$1.62 MX$27.76

-52.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 ¥7.77

$2.88 MX$49.39

-59.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 ¥0.86

$0.60 MX$10.29

-78.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ¥7.11

$5.39 MX$92.4

-80.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ¥3.13

$3.73 MX$63.9

-87.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ¥51.0

$5.77 MX$98.9

31.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥8.14

$1.54 MX$26.34

-20.78%

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

$19.4K ¥129.9K

$22.5K MX$386.6K

-13.99%

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

$15.3K ¥102.6K

$26.1K MX$446.7K

-41.22%

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

$65.1 ¥436

$91.4 MX$1,567

-28.73%

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

$15.70 ¥105

$25.20 MX$432

-37.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.09 ¥60.9

$31.24 MX$536

-70.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.51 ¥30.21

$29.11 MX$499

-84.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.29 ¥48.86

$4.86 MX$83.4

50.00%

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

$208 ¥1,395

$224 MX$3,834

-6.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ¥79.5K

$4,229 MX$72.5K

180.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.86 ¥200

$47.10 MX$808

-36.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.78 ¥99.0

$44.29 MX$759

-66.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 ¥507

$80.1 MX$1,373

-5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥643

$92.7 MX$1,589

3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 ¥2,516

$2,149 MX$36.8K

-82.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,321 ¥8,849

$6,502 MX$111.5K

-79.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$499 ¥3,341

$758 MX$13.0K

-34.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.22

11.45

-71.88%

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

Last update for Longyan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 52% 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 $22.00 in Longyan versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $276 – making Longyan 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $455 in Longyan, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 178% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $683 per month in Longyan and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Longyan and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Longyan, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Longyan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $455 in Longyan to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Longyan. 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.