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 $1,144 per month in Pingtung city vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,865 per month in Pingtung city vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,586 per month in Pingtung city vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pingtung city is about 11% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pingtung city and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Pingtung city 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 NT$157

$11.94 MX$208

-58.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.94 NT$977

$42.75 MX$744

-27.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 NT$168

$10.59 MX$184

-49.76%

Cappuccino

$3.00 NT$94.7

$3.62 MX$63.0

-17.13%

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

$0.97 NT$30.73

$1.47 MX$25.54

-34.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 NT$24.49

$0.94 MX$16.41

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 NT$53.8

$3.09 MX$53.8

-44.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 NT$83.6

$4.46 MX$77.6

-40.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.73 NT$118

$1.43 MX$24.80

160.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 NT$63.2

$1.88 MX$32.79

6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 NT$85.7

$1.63 MX$28.34

66.26%

Eggs

$3.23 NT$102

$2.64 MX$45.99

22.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.65 NT$494

$8.21 MX$143

90.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 NT$252

$8.29 MX$144

-3.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.55 NT$491

$11.10 MX$193

40.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 NT$148

$2.65 MX$46.14

76.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 NT$55.7

$1.50 MX$26.11

17.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 NT$72.3

$1.99 MX$34.59

15.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$96.8

$2.08 MX$36.13

47.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 NT$40.27

$1.79 MX$31.11

-28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 NT$60.3

$2.18 MX$37.87

-12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 NT$59.1

$1.08 MX$18.73

73.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NT$36.61

$1.04 MX$18.04

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 NT$130

$3.97 MX$69.1

3.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 NT$498

$10.20 MX$178

54.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.8

$1.73 MX$30.04

-3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 NT$81.5

$2.50 MX$43.46

3.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$27.94

$0.52 MX$9.02

71.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.23 NT$1,207

$26.97 MX$469

41.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 NT$88.4

$3.14 MX$54.7

-10.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.45

$2.40 MX$41.80

-69.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 NT$197

$3.09 MX$53.7

102.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.62

$1.27 MX$22.16

-21.26%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

7.97%

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

$25.7K NT$811.1K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

10.19%

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

$95.5 NT$3,013

$82.0 MX$1,427

16.39%

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

$24.23 NT$765

$22.45 MX$391

7.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.51 NT$679

$29.66 MX$516

-27.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.96 NT$1,198

$51.9 MX$903

-26.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.28 NT$482

$18.67 MX$325

-18.16%

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 NT$318

$4.97 MX$86.5

102.82%

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

$358 NT$11.3K

$198 MX$3,442

81.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K NT$355.2K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

113.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 NT$2,722

$36.34 MX$632

137.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.32 NT$1,083

$40.05 MX$697

-14.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 NT$2,824

$79.9 MX$1,390

11.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,200

$88.9 MX$1,547

14.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 NT$13.6K

$963 MX$16.8K

-55.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 NT$9,175

$465 MX$8,086

-37.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 NT$32.6K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-35.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 NT$22.8K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-40.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,953 NT$61.7K

$720 MX$12.5K

171.16%

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 Pingtung city: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $431 in Pingtung city 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 171% 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 $31.00 in Pingtung city versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Pingtung city vs $251 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: $1,144 in Pingtung city, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 13% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,715 per month in Pingtung city and $1,930 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 $1,144 in Pingtung city and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Pingtung city. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pingtung city, where all-in costs run around $1,144, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $1,144 in Pingtung city to $1,287 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.