Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Chang-hua Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Chang-hua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $887 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,367 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,848 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Chang-hua are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Chang-hua 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.77 NT$122

218.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$26.71 NT$862

56.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.84 NT$189

84.08%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.86 NT$60.1

88.17%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.91 NT$29.39

59.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.43 NT$13.85

104.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.44 NT$46.51

104.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.08 NT$67.2

116.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.76 NT$89.0

-48.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.88 NT$60.6

-2.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$3.13 NT$101

-49.84%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.79 NT$90.1

-10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$17.71 NT$572

-53.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.81 NT$252

7.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$19.98 NT$645

-46.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.04 NT$163

-48.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.97 NT$95.8

-51.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.77 NT$89.4

-29.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.10 NT$100

-32.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.65 NT$85.4

-30.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.17 NT$70.2

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.98 NT$63.8

-47.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.81 NT$26.10

32.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.15 NT$134

-1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$9.07 NT$293

12.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.55 NT$49.97

8.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.35 NT$76.0

7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.72 NT$55.5

-70.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$36.55 NT$1,180

-28.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.89 NT$93.4

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.72 NT$23.40

234.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$10.29 NT$332

-68.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.08 NT$34.72

22.22%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$37.3K NT$1.2M

-20.48%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$26.9K NT$867.8K

-12.00%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$34.24 NT$1,105

139.52%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$18.64 NT$602

23.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$19.98 NT$645

50.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$25.57 NT$825

103.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$15.29 NT$494

21.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$10.36 NT$334

-51.93%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$636 NT$20.5K

-68.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$8,532 NT$275.4K

-37.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$53.7 NT$1,734

-33.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$16.77 NT$541

140.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$84.5 NT$2,726

-6.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$54.8 NT$1,770

62.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$310 NT$10.0K

205.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$184 NT$5,925

158.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$533 NT$17.2K

208.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$187 NT$6,032

547.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,945 NT$95.0K

37.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,608 NT$51.9K

302.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$2,032 NT$65.6K

-67.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.19

421.46%

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 Chang-hua: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $310 in Chang-hua. 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 211% higher in Chang-hua, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Chang-hua. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $352 in Chang-hua – 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Chang-hua, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,330 in Chang-hua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chang-hua, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $887 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $887, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chang-hua costs $887 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chang-hua. 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.