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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $584 in Guizhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $934 in Guizhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,284 in Guizhou.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 115% more expensive than in Guizhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Guizhou 56% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Guizhou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$209
$2.15 ¥14.54
457.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$728
$19.32 ¥131
116.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$187
$5.38 ¥36.35
99.81%
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$60.9
$3.07 ¥20.72
14.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.22
$0.37 ¥2.51
291.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.41
$0.26 ¥1.76
238.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.3
$0.73 ¥4.93
304.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.6
$1.37 ¥9.29
229.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Guizhou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$2.04 ¥13.77
-29.90%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.99
$1.43 ¥9.65
28.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.31
$0.84 ¥5.68
86.90%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.74
$2.04 ¥13.82
23.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$144
$13.77 ¥93.0
-39.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$4.75 ¥32.07
77.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$186
$10.68 ¥72.2
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.43
$1.64 ¥11.06
59.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.04
$1.50 ¥10.15
-4.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.16
$1.02 ¥6.87
92.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.47
$1.09 ¥7.34
91.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.24
$0.45 ¥3.02
311.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.74
$0.58 ¥3.92
274.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$17.96
$0.48 ¥3.21
114.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.70
$0.50 ¥3.35
114.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$71.4
$2.71 ¥18.33
51.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$177
$7.41 ¥50.1
37.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.17
$0.79 ¥5.33
112.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.98
$2.62 ¥17.73
-3.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Guizhou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.87
$0.34 ¥2.29
50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$453
$16.57 ¥112
57.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.3
$1.70 ¥11.52
90.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$41.88
$0.26 ¥1.74
826.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.2
$6.57 ¥44.42
-50.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.00
$1.19 ¥8.05
10.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$517.1K
$14.0K ¥94.4K
112.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$412.0K
$15.2K ¥102.6K
55.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Guizhou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,428
$27.28 ¥184
200.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$400
$5.64 ¥38.13
306.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$524
$8.93 ¥60.3
237.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Guizhou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$905
$17.54 ¥119
196.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$323
$13.75 ¥92.9
34.76%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$86.6
$6.92 ¥46.74
-28.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Guizhou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,438
$298 ¥2,015
-33.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$92.9K
$10.7K ¥72.4K
-50.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Guizhou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$620
$35.40 ¥239
0.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$702
$24.57 ¥166
64.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,371
$61.5 ¥416
28.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,549
$39.84 ¥269
123.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Guizhou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.5K
$275 ¥1,861
243.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,254
$134 ¥907
253.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.6K
$351 ¥2,371
368.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.1K
$226 ¥1,528
435.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.6K
$1,811 ¥12.2K
123.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$112.7K
$1,084 ¥7,324
496.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Guizhou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
$684 ¥4,624
-4.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
3.4
235.88%

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 Guizhou: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $275 in Guizhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guizhou pays 5% 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 $19.00 in Guizhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $204 per month, with Guizhou 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 Guizhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guizhou cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Guizhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Guizhou?
On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Guizhou. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Guizhou?
Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $275 in Guizhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Guizhou runs roughly 57% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $298 in Guizhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Guizhou?
At $584 in Guizhou versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Guizhou but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Guizhou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Guizhou more family-friendly?
For families, Guizhou 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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Guizhou?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Guizhou are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Guizhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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