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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $748 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,109 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,469 in Changchun.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 68% more expensive than in Changchun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Changchun 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.77 ¥18.71

332.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$20.26 ¥137

106.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.92 ¥33.27

118.50%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.57 ¥17.36

36.19%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.48 ¥3.27

202.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.29 ¥1.97

203.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$0.83 ¥5.58

255.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.04 ¥13.77

121.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.89 ¥12.77

-24.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.25 ¥8.42

47.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.28 ¥8.67

22.66%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.10 ¥7.45

128.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$12.67 ¥85.6

-34.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.42 ¥23.08

146.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.41 ¥56.8

26.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.47 ¥9.90

77.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.03 ¥6.95

39.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.86 ¥5.81

127.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.30 ¥8.81

60.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.73 ¥4.93

153.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.66 ¥4.46

228.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.44 ¥2.94

134.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.56 ¥3.76

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.21 ¥21.68

27.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$11.69 ¥79.0

-13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.67 ¥4.50

150.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$0.94 ¥6.36

169.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.27 ¥1.81

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$16.96 ¥115

53.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.08 ¥7.30

199.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.26 ¥1.76

826.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.43 ¥23.15

-5.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.12 ¥7.55

17.86%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$18.2K ¥122.8K

63.44%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$18.7K ¥126.0K

26.86%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$42.61 ¥288

92.47%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$14.76 ¥99.7

55.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$14.14 ¥95.6

112.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$42.40 ¥287

22.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$3.75 ¥25.35

394.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.00 ¥33.81

-0.40%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$284 ¥1,919

-30.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$8,474 ¥57.3K

-37.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$27.58 ¥186

29.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.90 ¥209

30.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$74.1 ¥501

6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$77.5 ¥524

14.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$276 ¥1,864

243.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$233 ¥1,577

103.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$596 ¥4,024

176.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$358 ¥2,420

237.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,745 ¥11.8K

132.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$993 ¥6,709

551.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$942 ¥6,366

-30.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.27

116.70%

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 Changchun: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $276 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changchun pays 44% 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 $20.00 in Changchun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $185 per month, with Changchun 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 Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changchun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Changchun. 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 $276 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Changchun runs roughly 54% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $284 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $748 in Changchun versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changchun but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Changchun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Changchun 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 Changchun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.