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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $835 in Nanjing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,319 in Nanjing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,803 in Nanjing.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 52% more expensive than in Nanjing, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Nanjing 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.69 ¥24.72

214.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$22.73 ¥152

107.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.90 ¥32.83

142.45%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.11 ¥20.85

27.97%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.49 ¥3.29

191.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.25 ¥1.66

228.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.47 ¥9.84

117.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.27 ¥15.21

199.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.15 ¥14.43

-21.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.15 ¥14.39

2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.85 ¥5.67

101.18%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.29 ¥8.65

112.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.64 ¥71.3

-9.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.01 ¥20.18

199.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.78 ¥58.8

45.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.14 ¥14.34

35.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.30 ¥8.68

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.73 ¥11.58

24.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.07 ¥7.17

111.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.90 ¥6.02

120.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.94 ¥6.32

111.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.93 ¥6.22

32.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.51 ¥3.41

135.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.64 ¥24.39

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.66 ¥91.5

-24.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.98 ¥6.59

65.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.51 ¥10.08

90.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.29 ¥1.92

106.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$29.95 ¥201

-3.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.69 ¥11.30

218.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.41 ¥2.76

809.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$8.72 ¥58.4

-33.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.26 ¥8.47

22.22%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$19.6K ¥131.3K

15.00%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$16.7K ¥111.6K

56.35%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$55.1 ¥369

65.99%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$7.63 ¥51.1

230.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$7.35 ¥49.21

325.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$28.01 ¥188

139.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$33.73 ¥226

-13.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.85 ¥39.17

-16.92%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$1,455 ¥9,748

-84.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$22.4K ¥149.8K

-81.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$42.09 ¥282

11.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$34.00 ¥228

30.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$65.1 ¥436

23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$87.0 ¥583

6.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$540 ¥3,619

96.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$297 ¥1,986

31.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,124 ¥7,529

91.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$567 ¥3,795

124.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$5,013 ¥33.6K

-20.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$3,103 ¥20.8K

109.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,443 ¥9,662

-47.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.42

234.80%

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 Nanjing: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $540 in Nanjing. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanjing pays 90% 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 $23.00 in Nanjing for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $205 per month, with Nanjing cheaper across the board.

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 Nanjing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanjing is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Nanjing. 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $540 in Nanjing. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nanjing – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $835 in Nanjing – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in Nanjing versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nanjing but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nanjing the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nanjing is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Nanjing gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.