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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $788 in Miaoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,105 in Miaoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,423 in Miaoli.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 66% more expensive than in Miaoli, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Miaoli 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.61 NT$82.5

358.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$24.16 NT$764

96.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$4.80 NT$152

144.79%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.06 NT$96.9

34.64%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.88 NT$27.84

59.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.58 NT$18.39

56.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.26 NT$39.72

154.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.32 NT$41.84

435.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.86 NT$90.3

-41.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.22 NT$38.51

76.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.60 NT$82.4

-31.92%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.22 NT$70.2

27.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.55 NT$302

-3.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$7.59 NT$240

21.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$21.61 NT$684

-41.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.88 NT$123

-23.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.08 NT$65.7

-24.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.02 NT$95.6

-26.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.06 NT$96.8

-22.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.60 NT$82.2

-23.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.95 NT$61.8

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.41 NT$76.1

-48.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.87 NT$27.58

39.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.98 NT$126

15.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$10.94 NT$346

-3.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.46 NT$46.15

15.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.19 NT$69.2

26.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.80 NT$88.7

87.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.76 NT$24.03

380.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.19 NT$227

-19.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.00 NT$31.66

54.00%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$33.3K NT$1.1M

-31.63%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$24.4K NT$772.0K

5.75%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$70.0 NT$2,215

29.47%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$18.28 NT$578

37.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$21.95 NT$694

44.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$10.90 NT$345

-55.41%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$521 NT$16.5K

-56.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$32.3K NT$1.0M

-87.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$12.91 NT$408

267.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$25.01 NT$791

73.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$62.5 NT$1,977

28.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$97.5 NT$3,082

-6.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$220 NT$6,968

392.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$161 NT$5,094

153.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$2,543 NT$80.4K

-69.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.18

425.23%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Miaoli: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $220 in Miaoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miaoli pays 229% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $24.00 in Miaoli. Groceries flip the comparison at $278 vs $316, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Miaoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Miaoli differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $788 including rent). Miaoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 229% lower in Miaoli. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $220 in Miaoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $788 in Miaoli – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $788 in Miaoli versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Miaoli but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Miaoli the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Miaoli are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Miaoli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.