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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $455 in Longyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $753 in Longyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,052 in Longyan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 178% more than Longyan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Longyan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Longyan 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$3.03 ¥20.32

282.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$808

$21.97 ¥147

114.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$5.23 ¥35.04

127.15%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.25 ¥15.06

76.89%

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

$1.43 MX$24.46

$0.49 ¥3.27

191.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.14

$0.27 ¥1.79

203.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$0.85 ¥5.70

275.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

$1.67 ¥11.22

306.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.72

$2.07 ¥13.87

-18.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.67

$1.46 ¥9.81

50.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.29

$0.71 ¥4.75

140.85%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.99

$1.51 ¥10.14

81.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$7.33 ¥49.14

30.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$2.96 ¥19.83

204.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$9.26 ¥62.1

38.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.52

$1.86 ¥12.47

55.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.67

$1.31 ¥8.79

14.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.83

$1.70 ¥11.37

26.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.74

$1.12 ¥7.48

101.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.96

$0.85 ¥5.67

132.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.11

$0.99 ¥6.60

101.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.16

$0.43 ¥2.89

186.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.52

$0.52 ¥3.51

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

$3.26 ¥21.87

39.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$12.10 ¥81.1

-14.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.76

$0.77 ¥5.14

110.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.39

$1.16 ¥7.77

148.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

$0.13 ¥0.86

361.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.4

$1.06 ¥7.11

408.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$0.47 ¥3.13

693.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

$7.61 ¥51.0

-24.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.34

$1.22 ¥8.14

26.23%

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

$22.5K MX$386.6K

$19.4K ¥129.9K

16.27%

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

$26.1K MX$446.7K

$15.3K ¥102.6K

70.13%

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

$91.4 MX$1,567

$65.1 ¥436

40.30%

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

$25.20 MX$432

$15.70 ¥105

60.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$9.09 ¥60.9

243.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

$4.51 ¥30.21

545.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.4

$7.29 ¥48.86

-33.33%

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

$224 MX$3,834

$208 ¥1,395

7.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

$11.9K ¥79.5K

-64.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$29.86 ¥200

57.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$14.78 ¥99.0

199.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$75.7 ¥507

5.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,589

$95.9 ¥643

-3.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

$376 ¥2,516

472.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.5K

$1,321 ¥8,849

392.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$499 ¥3,341

52.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.22

255.59%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Longyan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 52% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Longyan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $181 – making Longyan 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 Longyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $455 in Longyan – roughly 178% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $683 in Longyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $22.00 in Longyan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Longyan, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Longyan 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 $455 in Longyan to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Longyan. 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.