Cost of Living Comparison Between Pingtung city and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Pingtung city and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $897 per month in Pingtung city vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,476 per month in Pingtung city vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,054 per month in Pingtung city vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pingtung city is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pingtung city and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Pingtung city 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 NT$175

$11.60 MX$200

-52.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.63 NT$1,007

$47.11 MX$812

-32.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 NT$151

$11.88 MX$205

-60.10%

Cappuccino

$2.83 NT$90.2

$3.98 MX$68.6

-28.89%

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

$0.99 NT$31.57

$1.43 MX$24.60

-30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.76

$0.82 MX$14.22

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 NT$49.50

$3.19 MX$55.0

-51.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 NT$79.7

$6.79 MX$117

-63.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

$1.68 MX$28.89

97.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 NT$71.9

$2.20 MX$37.88

2.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 NT$92.5

$1.71 MX$29.45

69.59%

Eggs

$2.59 NT$82.3

$2.74 MX$47.26

-5.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 NT$483

$9.58 MX$165

58.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 NT$255

$9.01 MX$155

-11.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 NT$482

$12.81 MX$221

18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 NT$141

$2.89 MX$49.81

53.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 NT$62.5

$1.50 MX$25.81

30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 NT$57.0

$2.15 MX$37.03

-16.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 NT$99.8

$2.26 MX$38.96

38.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 NT$39.36

$1.98 MX$34.15

-37.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 NT$62.0

$1.99 MX$34.30

-2.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 NT$77.4

$1.23 MX$21.28

97.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.73

$1.20 MX$20.63

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 NT$120

$4.55 MX$78.5

-17.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.00 NT$509

$10.37 MX$179

54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 NT$51.8

$1.62 MX$27.91

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NT$68.3

$2.88 MX$49.67

-25.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 NT$14.59

$0.60 MX$10.35

-23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 NT$83.0

$5.39 MX$92.9

-51.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 NT$24.25

$3.73 MX$64.3

-79.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 NT$195

$5.77 MX$99.5

6.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.11

$1.54 MX$26.48

-32.47%

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

$33.9K NT$1.1M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

50.54%

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

$23.9K NT$760.2K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-8.35%

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

$110 NT$3,510

$91.4 MX$1,576

20.67%

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

$14.77 NT$470

$25.20 MX$435

-41.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.72 NT$851

$31.24 MX$539

-14.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 NT$318

$4.86 MX$83.8

105.56%

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

$347 NT$11.0K

$224 MX$3,856

55.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K NT$447.6K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

232.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 NT$2,187

$47.10 MX$812

45.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 NT$1,101

$44.29 MX$764

-21.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 NT$2,737

$80.1 MX$1,381

7.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 NT$3,194

$92.7 MX$1,598

8.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 NT$7,876

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-76.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 NT$4,931

$390 MX$6,728

-60.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 NT$23.2K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-66.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 NT$11.9K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-70.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,962 NT$62.5K

$758 MX$13.1K

158.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.27

11.45

-80.17%

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

Last update for Pingtung city: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Pingtung city versus $1,063 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 159% higher in Pingtung city, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Pingtung city versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $338 in Pingtung city vs $276 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $897 in Pingtung city, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 41% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,346 per month in Pingtung city and $1,899 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 Pingtung city, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $897 in Pingtung city and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $347 per month in Pingtung city and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pingtung city, where all-in costs run around $897, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Pingtung city 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 $897 in Pingtung city to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Pingtung city. 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.