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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $896 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,393 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,889 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 46% 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 5% lower, Chang-hua 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.08 NT$129

193.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$33.14 NT$1,048

42.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.10 NT$193

92.62%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.68 NT$53.1

145.24%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.92 NT$29.02

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.60 NT$19.11

51.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.38 NT$43.78

132.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.26 NT$71.4

212.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.32 NT$73.4

-27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.06 NT$65.2

4.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.04 NT$96.0

-41.78%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.79 NT$88.4

1.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$16.17 NT$511

-43.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$9.87 NT$312

-6.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$22.09 NT$699

-42.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$5.09 NT$161

-42.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.27 NT$103

-51.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.94 NT$92.9

-24.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.19 NT$101

-26.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.82 NT$89.2

-29.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.15 NT$68.0

-7.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.75 NT$55.5

-29.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.83 NT$26.17

45.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.89 NT$123

18.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$9.43 NT$298

11.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.47 NT$46.42

14.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.24 NT$70.9

23.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.56 NT$49.20

-61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$35.25 NT$1,115

-15.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.68 NT$84.9

95.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.76 NT$24.06

380.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$9.76 NT$309

-40.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.02 NT$32.30

50.98%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$34.4K NT$1.1M

-33.74%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$24.6K NT$778.5K

4.87%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$32.01 NT$1,012

183.26%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$18.21 NT$576

38.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$19.29 NT$610

64.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$33.09 NT$1,047

107.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$9.66 NT$306

-49.69%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$625 NT$19.8K

-63.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,903 NT$249.9K

-46.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$49.98 NT$1,581

-5.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$15.34 NT$485

183.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$78.4 NT$2,479

2.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$51.0 NT$1,614

79.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$254 NT$8,047

326.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$175 NT$5,529

133.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$503 NT$15.9K

292.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$177 NT$5,596

624.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$3,071 NT$97.1K

31.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,703 NT$53.8K

293.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$2,008 NT$63.5K

-61.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.2

420.45%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $254 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 160% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Chang-hua. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $364 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 46% 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,344 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $896 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% 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 $896, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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 $896 versus $1,305 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.