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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $904 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,361 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,819 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% 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 3% lower, Chang-hua 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.76 NT$118

211.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$27.15 NT$855

53.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.64 NT$178

88.65%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.84 NT$57.8

91.30%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.88 NT$27.63

71.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.46 NT$14.54

110.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.45 NT$45.62

103.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.98 NT$62.3

124.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.76 NT$86.9

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.91 NT$60.1

-1.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.17 NT$99.9

-48.26%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.91 NT$91.7

-13.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$17.14 NT$540

-51.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.81 NT$246

6.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$20.15 NT$634

-46.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$5.22 NT$164

-50.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.89 NT$91.1

-49.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.75 NT$86.7

-30.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.23 NT$102

-35.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.75 NT$86.5

-35.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.19 NT$69.0

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.87 NT$59.0

-44.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.81 NT$25.47

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.95 NT$124

3.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.61 NT$302

7.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.56 NT$49.26

9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.41 NT$75.8

7.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.72 NT$54.0

-70.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$37.34 NT$1,175

-29.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.95 NT$93.0

10.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.78 NT$24.68

219.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$10.29 NT$324

-68.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.02 NT$32.18

28.43%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$38.6K NT$1.2M

-21.49%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$27.5K NT$864.1K

-14.65%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$34.13 NT$1,074

142.81%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$18.70 NT$589

18.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$20.26 NT$638

44.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$26.09 NT$821

97.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.35 NT$483

19.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$10.07 NT$317

-49.65%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$643 NT$20.2K

-68.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$8,353 NT$262.9K

-37.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$53.8 NT$1,692

-31.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$16.87 NT$531

135.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$84.1 NT$2,647

-6.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$53.8 NT$1,692

62.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$312 NT$9,829

211.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$190 NT$5,974

146.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$546 NT$17.2K

200.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$189 NT$5,953

545.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,014 NT$94.9K

30.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,682 NT$52.9K

286.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,015 NT$63.4K

-67.05%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $312 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 203% 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 $354 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 43% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,355 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $904 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% 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 $904, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $904 versus $1,297 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.