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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $545 in Anshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $879 in Anshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,212 in Anshan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 130% more expensive than in Anshan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Anshan 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.53 ¥23.88

239.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$17.35 ¥117

140.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.11 ¥27.75

161.56%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.91 ¥19.65

20.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.30 ¥2.00

383.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.22 ¥1.49

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$0.73 ¥4.94

304.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.50 ¥10.11

200.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.59 ¥10.77

-10.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.17 ¥7.88

57.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.34 ¥2.29

361.76%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.94 ¥13.13

29.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.29 ¥56.0

-0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$1.64 ¥11.11

414.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.43 ¥56.9

26.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.00 ¥6.74

161.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.10 ¥7.40

30.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.08 ¥7.31

81.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.70 ¥4.76

198.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.27 ¥1.80

585.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.77 ¥5.18

181.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.60 ¥4.04

71.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.44 ¥2.94

143.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.40 ¥22.95

20.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.45 ¥50.3

36.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.73 ¥4.94

130.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.41 ¥9.54

79.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.27 ¥1.80

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$16.88 ¥114

54.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.99 ¥6.72

226.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.33 ¥2.20

630.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.09 ¥27.67

-21.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.03 ¥6.94

28.16%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$18.2K ¥123.0K

63.09%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$13.8K ¥93.6K

70.86%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$27.80 ¥188

195.00%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$7.02 ¥47.44

226.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$11.55 ¥78.1

160.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$28.07 ¥190

85.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$14.08 ¥95.2

31.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.45 ¥36.86

-8.62%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$208 ¥1,405

-5.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,652 ¥65.2K

-44.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$35.38 ¥239

0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$34.68 ¥234

16.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$82.5 ¥558

-4.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$68.9 ¥466

29.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$141 ¥955

569.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$113 ¥760

321.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$279 ¥1,884

489.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$208 ¥1,403

482.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$3,025 ¥20.4K

34.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,860 ¥12.6K

247.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$918 ¥6,205

-28.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

471.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Anshan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $141 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anshan pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $17.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $146 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

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

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

Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Anshan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $141 in Anshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Anshan – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $545 in Anshan – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $545 in Anshan versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Anshan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Anshan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Anshan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Anshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.