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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $707 in Handan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,125 in Handan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,544 in Handan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 83% more than Handan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Handan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Handan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$1.70 ¥11.49

590.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$20.77 ¥140

101.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$4.22 ¥28.52

146.68%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.93 ¥19.79

23.21%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.37 ¥2.47

294.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.29 ¥1.97

234.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$0.89 ¥6.00

228.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.04 ¥13.76

126.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.83 ¥12.36

-21.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.58 ¥10.70

20.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.94 ¥6.36

67.02%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.61 ¥10.88

63.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$12.71 ¥85.8

-33.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.08 ¥20.84

178.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$10.29 ¥69.5

6.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.74 ¥11.78

55.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.25 ¥8.46

20.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.37 ¥9.28

39.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.13 ¥7.60

92.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.72 ¥4.84

159.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.93 ¥6.25

139.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.57 ¥3.83

89.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.55 ¥3.73

94.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$3.15 ¥21.31

32.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$10.14 ¥68.5

1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$0.81 ¥5.45

107.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.57 ¥10.62

61.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.27 ¥1.80

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$16.73 ¥113

57.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.41 ¥9.51

126.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.33 ¥2.20

645.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$6.77 ¥45.70

-52.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.13 ¥7.65

16.81%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$19.5K ¥131.9K

54.45%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$16.7K ¥112.9K

39.95%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$45.34 ¥306

79.42%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$10.08 ¥68.1

122.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$11.72 ¥79.2

155.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$41.12 ¥278

25.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$14.19 ¥95.9

29.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.26 ¥42.26

-17.57%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$334 ¥2,259

-39.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$17.1K ¥115.3K

-68.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$43.31 ¥293

-17.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$30.98 ¥209

30.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$72.2 ¥488

8.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$75.4 ¥509

15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$277 ¥1,871

243.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$187 ¥1,261

156.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$584 ¥3,945

177.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$356 ¥2,403

243.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$3,336 ¥22.5K

20.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,593 ¥10.8K

306.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$731 ¥4,940

-7.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.87

195.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Handan: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $277 in Handan. 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 9% higher in Handan, 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 Handan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $196 – making Handan 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 Handan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 83%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,060 in Handan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $21.00 in Handan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $707 in Handan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Handan, where all-in costs run around $707, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Handan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Handan – 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 Handan. 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.