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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $725 in Changshu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,127 in Changshu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,528 in Changshu.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 74% more expensive than in Changshu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Changshu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.72 ¥18.19

326.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$21.37 ¥143

120.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.97 ¥33.25

139.03%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.98 ¥19.92

33.56%

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

$1.43 MX$24.58

$0.47 ¥3.12

204.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.29 ¥1.95

182.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$0.89 ¥5.97

258.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.06 ¥13.80

229.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.86

$1.85 ¥12.39

-9.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.84

$1.56 ¥10.42

41.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.42

$0.97 ¥6.47

76.29%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.21

$1.59 ¥10.60

72.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.60 ¥84.3

-23.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.22 ¥21.55

179.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.23 ¥68.4

25.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.75

$1.80 ¥12.06

60.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.79

$1.22 ¥8.14

22.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.00

$1.53 ¥10.24

40.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.92

$1.14 ¥7.62

98.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.11

$0.74 ¥4.98

167.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.27

$0.97 ¥6.47

105.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.26

$0.60 ¥4.03

105.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.61

$0.52 ¥3.48

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.4

$3.20 ¥21.42

42.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.75 ¥71.9

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.76 ¥5.07

113.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.61

$1.65 ¥11.01

74.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.27 ¥1.79

122.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$16.51 ¥110

74.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.36 ¥9.07

296.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.35 ¥2.36

965.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.4

$6.88 ¥46.01

-16.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.46

$1.12 ¥7.49

37.50%

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

$22.5K MX$388.4K

$19.6K ¥131.4K

14.77%

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

$26.1K MX$448.8K

$17.3K ¥115.7K

50.63%

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

$91.4 MX$1,574

$45.14 ¥302

102.44%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$9.99 ¥66.8

152.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$11.63 ¥77.8

168.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,158

$41.80 ¥280

60.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$14.03 ¥93.9

107.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.81 ¥38.86

-16.35%

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

$224 MX$3,852

$333 ¥2,230

-32.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$16.6K ¥111.0K

-74.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$43.92 ¥294

7.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$30.47 ¥204

45.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,380

$70.5 ¥471

13.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$70.6 ¥472

31.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$284 ¥1,898

274.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,721

$190 ¥1,270

105.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$603 ¥4,036

256.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$367 ¥2,452

246.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$3,007 ¥20.1K

33.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$2,014 ¥13.5K

222.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.89

194.34%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Changshu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $284 in Changshu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $21.00 in Changshu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $198 per month, with Changshu 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 Changshu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changshu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $1,088 in Changshu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $284 in Changshu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changshu – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $725 in Changshu – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $725 in Changshu versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changshu but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Changshu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Changshu 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Changshu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Changshu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.