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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $443 in Shillong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $684 in Shillong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $924 in Shillong, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 184% more than Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shillong are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Shillong 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$1.43 ₹138

738.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$731

$10.30 ₹992

305.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$188

$4.71 ₹454

128.24%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.1

$1.22 ₹118

186.89%

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

$1.45 MX$25.33

$0.36 ₹34.74

302.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.47

$0.14 ₹13.19

528.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

$1.43 ₹138

106.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.9

$3.28 ₹316

37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.04

$0.61 ₹58.7

134.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.13

$0.36 ₹35.09

411.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.42

$0.52 ₹50.1

201.92%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.92

$0.82 ₹79.2

206.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$4.43 ₹427

86.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.31 ₹319

154.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.62

$1.93 ₹186

35.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.15

$0.75 ₹71.8

92.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.31

$0.97 ₹93.5

102.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.62

$0.55 ₹53.3

280.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.37

$0.29 ₹27.52

537.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.90

$0.36 ₹34.64

502.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.04

$0.37 ₹35.51

178.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.78

$0.18 ₹17.51

494.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.7

$4.13 ₹398

-0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$4.75 ₹457

114.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.29

$1.49 ₹143

12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.17

$2.78 ₹267

-8.99%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.36 ₹419

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.30 ₹29.21

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

$8.48 ₹816

207.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$0.80 ₹77.1

303.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$1.43 ₹138

125.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.10

$1.19 ₹115

10.92%

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

$29.7K MX$519.2K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

116.76%

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

$23.7K MX$413.7K

$17.7K ₹1.7M

33.39%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$40.08 ₹3,859

104.62%

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

$22.95 MX$401

$3.44 ₹331

567.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$527

$5.68 ₹547

430.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

$4.53 ₹436

1047.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

$5.89 ₹567

214.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.0

$2.87 ₹276

73.52%

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

$197 MX$3,452

$32.21 ₹3,101

512.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.3K

$1,919 ₹184.8K

178.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$622

$25.14 ₹2,420

41.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$35.50 ₹3,418

13.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,377

$46.95 ₹4,520

67.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$42.64 ₹4,105

108.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$253 ₹24.4K

273.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,288

$156 ₹15.0K

203.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.7K

$464 ₹44.7K

253.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$318 ₹30.6K

280.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$441 ₹42.5K

48.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.38

54.74%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shillong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $253 in Shillong. 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 48% 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 $10.00 in Shillong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $93.0 – making Shillong 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 Shillong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 184%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $664 in Shillong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shillong, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $443 in Shillong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 207% less in Shillong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shillong, where all-in costs run around $443, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Shillong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shillong – 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 Shillong. 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.