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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $762 in Dongguan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,183 in Dongguan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,605 in Dongguan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 70% more expensive than Dongguan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Dongguan 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.46 ¥16.65

376.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$20.48 ¥138

103.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.35 ¥29.40

144.60%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.71 ¥18.35

29.89%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.44 ¥3.01

243.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.29 ¥1.97

234.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.12 ¥7.60

163.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.18 ¥14.73

104.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.71 ¥11.54

-19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.45 ¥9.78

30.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.97 ¥6.55

69.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.80 ¥12.18

39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$13.01 ¥88.0

-35.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.93 ¥26.60

112.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.39 ¥77.0

-5.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.83 ¥12.35

42.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.46 ¥9.85

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.81 ¥12.22

4.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.36 ¥9.17

52.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.01 ¥6.82

76.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.46 ¥9.86

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.65 ¥4.41

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.55 ¥3.73

96.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.82 ¥19.09

44.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$14.55 ¥98.4

-29.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.89 ¥6.04

92.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.86 ¥12.55

38.71%

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$458

$21.18 ¥143

24.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.28 ¥8.63

154.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.35 ¥2.34

611.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.43 ¥36.73

-40.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.16 ¥7.86

12.93%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$20.8K ¥140.5K

45.75%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.5K ¥138.5K

14.39%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$62.1 ¥420

33.40%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.36 ¥56.5

165.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$12.32 ¥83.3

138.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$60.5 ¥409

-14.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.24 ¥89.5

38.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.87 ¥46.45

-26.20%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$451 ¥3,050

-55.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$20.5K ¥138.9K

-74.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$29.57 ¥200

24.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$24.49 ¥166

62.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$61.9 ¥418

26.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$37.57 ¥254

131.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$361 ¥2,442

169.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$216 ¥1,458

116.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$691 ¥4,674

137.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$406 ¥2,745

200.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$5,711 ¥38.6K

-30.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$3,110 ¥21.0K

108.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$836 ¥5,653

-20.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.04

182.67%

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 Dongguan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $361 in Dongguan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dongguan pays 26% 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 Dongguan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $220 per month, with Dongguan 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 Dongguan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dongguan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Dongguan earns 26% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $361 in Dongguan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dongguan runs roughly 25% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $451 in Dongguan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $762 in Dongguan versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dongguan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dongguan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dongguan 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 Dongguan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.