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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $721 in Jilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,133 in Jilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,545 in Jilin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 75% more than Jilin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jilin are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Jilin 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$209

$2.71 ¥18.32

340.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$732

$21.21 ¥143

97.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$4.69 ¥31.65

122.17%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.3

$3.23 ¥21.81

8.67%

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

$1.52 MX$26.46

$0.43 ¥2.92

253.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.89

$0.20 ¥1.35

355.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.0

$1.12 ¥7.57

171.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.3

$2.12 ¥14.35

106.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.80

$1.70 ¥11.48

-16.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.95

$1.60 ¥10.81

14.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.53

$0.96 ¥6.50

69.79%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.32

$1.58 ¥10.66

60.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$13.08 ¥88.3

-34.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$3.23 ¥21.80

162.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

$10.15 ¥68.6

6.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.07

$1.79 ¥12.07

53.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.06

$1.19 ¥8.07

21.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.92

$1.37 ¥9.27

37.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.87

$1.12 ¥7.58

93.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.05

$0.67 ¥4.51

165.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.82

$0.93 ¥6.26

138.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.65

$0.60 ¥4.04

78.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.51 ¥3.43

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$3.20 ¥21.65

29.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$12.09 ¥81.6

-13.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.42

$0.75 ¥5.05

132.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.04

$1.59 ¥10.77

62.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.96

$0.29 ¥1.98

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$453

$16.82 ¥114

54.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.0

$0.95 ¥6.42

237.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.67

$0.32 ¥2.19

681.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.6

$6.62 ¥44.73

-51.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.93

$1.13 ¥7.64

11.50%

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

$29.7K MX$518.0K

$19.0K ¥128.6K

55.90%

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

$23.7K MX$413.3K

$16.9K ¥113.8K

40.55%

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

$82.0 MX$1,431

$46.11 ¥311

77.90%

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

$22.73 MX$397

$10.00 ¥67.5

127.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$513

$11.34 ¥76.6

159.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

$42.29 ¥286

23.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

$14.18 ¥95.8

30.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.1

$6.29 ¥42.51

-21.62%

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

$202 MX$3,521

$333 ¥2,246

-39.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.0K

$16.9K ¥114.2K

-69.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$627

$42.75 ¥289

-15.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$704

$30.36 ¥205

32.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,394

$71.2 ¥481

12.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,558

$75.0 ¥506

19.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

$278 ¥1,879

240.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,120

$186 ¥1,259

149.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$589 ¥3,976

176.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$364 ¥2,460

227.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

$2,714 ¥18.3K

44.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.2K

$1,821 ¥12.3K

252.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$438 ¥2,956

50.43%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Jilin: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $278 in Jilin. 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 50% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Jilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $200 – making Jilin 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 Jilin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 75% more than Jilin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,082 in Jilin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $333 in Jilin. 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jilin, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Jilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jilin costs $721 versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Jilin. 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.