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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $703 in Huizhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,080 in Huizhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,457 in Huizhou, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 85% more than Huizhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Huizhou are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Huizhou 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.03 ¥13.77

477.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$16.33 ¥111

154.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.75 ¥32.13

124.00%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.80 ¥18.92

25.71%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.47 ¥3.15

221.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.29 ¥1.99

234.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.01 ¥6.81

192.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.56 ¥10.57

185.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.86 ¥12.61

-25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.46 ¥9.88

29.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.06 ¥7.16

54.72%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.42 ¥9.59

76.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.51 ¥50.8

11.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.05 ¥27.41

105.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.54 ¥78.1

-7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.71 ¥11.57

52.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.24 ¥8.41

17.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.20 ¥8.09

58.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.27 ¥8.62

63.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.90 ¥6.07

97.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.09 ¥7.36

100.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.52 ¥3.49

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.43 ¥2.89

151.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.87 ¥19.42

42.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$10.78 ¥73.0

-4.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.01 ¥6.85

69.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.44 ¥9.74

79.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.27 ¥1.80

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$16.66 ¥113

58.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.93 ¥6.29

250.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.38 ¥2.55

555.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$3.39 ¥22.93

-4.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.11 ¥7.54

18.02%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$18.3K ¥124.1K

65.14%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$14.2K ¥96.1K

65.06%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$46.09 ¥312

79.80%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$10.51 ¥71.2

111.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$9.35 ¥63.3

213.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$38.46 ¥260

34.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.96 ¥94.5

31.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.25 ¥42.30

-18.88%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$312 ¥2,109

-35.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$15.8K ¥107.2K

-67.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$40.56 ¥275

-8.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$28.56 ¥193

39.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$69.3 ¥469

13.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$60.7 ¥411

43.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$196 ¥1,325

396.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$216 ¥1,464

116.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$375 ¥2,535

338.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$387 ¥2,621

215.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,194 ¥14.8K

79.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,172 ¥7,935

454.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$855 ¥5,788

-22.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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 Huizhou: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $196 in Huizhou. 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 29% higher in Huizhou, 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 $16.00 in Huizhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $189 – making Huizhou 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 Huizhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $703 in Huizhou – roughly 85% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,054 in Huizhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Huizhou, 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 $16.00 in Huizhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $703 in Huizhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Huizhou, where all-in costs run around $703, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Huizhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $703 in Huizhou to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Huizhou. 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.