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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $625 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,022 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,418 in Chongqing, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 107% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Chongqing are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Chongqing 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$2.75 ¥18.57

326.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$728

$21.19 ¥143

96.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$4.83 ¥32.69

120.29%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.6

$2.43 ¥16.44

44.86%

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

$1.51 MX$26.42

$0.41 ¥2.77

268.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.03

$0.29 ¥1.99

234.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

$1.02 ¥6.89

189.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.9

$2.12 ¥14.36

109.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.20

$1.75 ¥11.86

-21.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.10

$1.27 ¥8.56

48.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.65

$0.67 ¥4.56

144.78%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.84

$1.85 ¥12.52

35.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$15.97 ¥108

-47.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$2.56 ¥17.35

225.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$188

$10.12 ¥68.5

6.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.56

$1.50 ¥10.15

73.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.50

$1.34 ¥9.07

8.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.26

$1.11 ¥7.52

71.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.07 ¥7.26

94.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.07

$0.70 ¥4.75

154.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.23

$0.89 ¥6.05

146.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.20

$0.53 ¥3.57

96.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.67 ¥4.52

61.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.4

$3.09 ¥20.92

32.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$181

$8.66 ¥58.6

19.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.96

$1.03 ¥6.99

66.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.06

$2.03 ¥13.75

27.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.92

$0.27 ¥1.80

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$463

$24.86 ¥168

6.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.1

$1.35 ¥9.15

141.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.59

$0.32 ¥2.17

678.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.8

$2.74 ¥18.52

18.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.15 ¥7.77

13.91%

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

$30.3K MX$529.8K

$18.1K ¥122.4K

67.34%

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

$23.4K MX$410.0K

$16.7K ¥112.7K

40.61%

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

$82.9 MX$1,450

$37.18 ¥252

122.89%

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

$22.22 MX$389

$5.99 ¥40.54

270.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$513

$8.54 ¥57.8

243.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$903

$21.92 ¥148

135.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$321

$15.77 ¥107

16.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.6

$5.56 ¥37.59

-8.81%

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

$201 MX$3,514

$338 ¥2,287

-40.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.2K

$27.2K ¥183.8K

-80.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$646

$29.14 ¥197

26.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$696

$28.87 ¥195

37.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,373

$58.5 ¥396

34.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,524

$59.8 ¥405

45.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$262 ¥1,771

271.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,184

$163 ¥1,102

187.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$567 ¥3,835

189.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.4K

$325 ¥2,202

275.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$69.0K

$2,782 ¥18.8K

41.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.7K

$1,736 ¥11.7K

274.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$1,093 ¥7,393

-39.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.74

205.35%

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 Chongqing: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 in Chongqing. 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 65% higher in Chongqing, 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 $21.00 in Chongqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $197 – making Chongqing the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chongqing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 107%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $938 in Chongqing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chongqing, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $338 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chongqing, where all-in costs run around $625, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Chongqing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chongqing – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chongqing. 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.