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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $709 in Changshu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,130 in Changshu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,551 in Changshu.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 83% more expensive than Changshu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Changshu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.81 ¥19.05

317.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$21.75 ¥147

91.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.91 ¥33.29

116.70%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$3.07 ¥20.77

14.66%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.44 ¥2.96

243.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.27 ¥1.81

259.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$0.87 ¥5.90

239.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.05 ¥13.86

117.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.88 ¥12.77

-26.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.56 ¥10.53

21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$0.95 ¥6.40

72.63%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$1.55 ¥10.47

61.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.87 ¥87.2

-35.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.22 ¥21.79

159.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$10.32 ¥69.9

3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.80 ¥12.16

44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.22 ¥8.24

19.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.49 ¥10.06

27.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.10 ¥7.47

89.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.74 ¥5.00

140.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.96 ¥6.50

128.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.56 ¥3.80

85.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.55 ¥3.76

96.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$3.15 ¥21.33

29.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.59 ¥71.8

-2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$0.79 ¥5.32

116.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$1.57 ¥10.66

64.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.29 ¥1.98

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$16.75 ¥113

57.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.43 ¥9.69

127.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.33 ¥2.21

654.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$6.85 ¥46.42

-52.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.12 ¥7.62

16.96%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$19.6K ¥132.4K

54.85%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$17.3K ¥117.3K

35.27%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$44.27 ¥300

87.19%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.92 ¥67.2

123.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$11.49 ¥77.8

155.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$41.00 ¥278

25.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.92 ¥94.3

31.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$6.04 ¥40.91

-16.06%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$335 ¥2,268

-40.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$17.1K ¥116.1K

-69.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$43.70 ¥296

-15.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$30.70 ¥208

29.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$72.3 ¥490

8.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$72.2 ¥489

20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$274 ¥1,854

255.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$196 ¥1,327

138.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$602 ¥4,079

172.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$366 ¥2,478

233.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$3,045 ¥20.6K

29.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$2,017 ¥13.7K

222.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.89

193.57%

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 Changshu: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $274 in Changshu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $22.00 in Changshu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $199 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 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,064 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $274 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 $22.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $709 in Changshu – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $709 in Changshu versus $1,297 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 83% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.