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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $658 in Shenyang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,062 in Shenyang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,465 in Shenyang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 92% more than Shenyang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shenyang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Shenyang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.76 ¥18.66

324.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$20.70 ¥140

102.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.93 ¥33.25

113.18%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.65 ¥17.90

35.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.49 ¥3.30

208.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.38 ¥2.54

142.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$0.81 ¥5.49

265.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.13 ¥14.40

107.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.96 ¥13.20

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.91 ¥12.87

-1.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.04 ¥6.99

50.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.11 ¥7.49

135.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.90 ¥66.8

-15.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.92 ¥19.68

185.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$12.03 ¥81.2

-9.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.44 ¥9.75

88.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.03 ¥6.94

46.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.83 ¥5.60

125.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.22 ¥8.21

79.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.50 ¥3.38

272.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.65 ¥4.38

243.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.43 ¥2.92

148.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.62 ¥4.17

75.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.05 ¥20.60

37.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$16.94 ¥114

-38.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.71 ¥4.80

133.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$0.97 ¥6.52

169.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.36 ¥2.45

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$11.91 ¥80.4

119.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.23 ¥8.29

150.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.26 ¥1.74

823.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$3.52 ¥23.74

-11.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.19 ¥8.05

10.08%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$17.8K ¥120.4K

67.07%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$18.6K ¥125.8K

25.18%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$66.5 ¥449

22.26%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$14.79 ¥99.9

52.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$13.85 ¥93.5

116.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$21.13 ¥143

150.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$6.16 ¥41.57

198.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.98 ¥33.60

-1.20%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$462 ¥3,117

-56.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$24.4K ¥164.7K

-78.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$49.34 ¥333

-27.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$31.93 ¥216

25.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$72.9 ¥492

9.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$78.2 ¥528

10.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$230 ¥1,555

324.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$144 ¥973

226.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$513 ¥3,464

221.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$340 ¥2,294

254.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,253 ¥15.2K

75.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,305 ¥8,807

406.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$959 ¥6,475

-29.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.27

116.70%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shenyang: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $230 in Shenyang. 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 42% higher in Shenyang, 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 $21.00 in Shenyang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $202 – making Shenyang 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 Shenyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 92%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $987 in Shenyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $658 in Shenyang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 120% less in Shenyang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shenyang, where all-in costs run around $658, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Shenyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shenyang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Shenyang. 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.