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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $449 in Shillong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $696 in Shillong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $944 in Shillong, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 189% more than Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shillong are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Shillong 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.39 ₹133

743.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$10.66 ₹1,016

290.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.56 ₹434

133.33%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.18 ₹112

198.31%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.36 ₹34.42

319.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.12 ₹11.37

708.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.43 ₹136

106.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.29 ₹313

35.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.65 ₹61.9

112.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.37 ₹34.80

410.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.52 ₹49.58

215.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$0.85 ₹81.2

195.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.41 ₹420

89.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.32 ₹316

151.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.85 ₹176

40.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.75 ₹71.9

94.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.92 ₹87.6

106.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.60 ₹57.3

246.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.31 ₹29.61

474.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.36 ₹34.14

508.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.37 ₹35.09

181.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.17 ₹15.80

535.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.08 ₹389

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$4.63 ₹441

122.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.53 ₹146

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.81 ₹267

-8.19%

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

$4.21 ₹401

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.30 ₹28.77

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$8.88 ₹846

197.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.76 ₹72.8

328.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$1.48 ₹141

119.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.15 ₹110

13.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$13.9K ₹1.3M

117.07%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$18.0K ₹1.7M

30.26%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$39.75 ₹3,786

108.48%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$3.31 ₹315

571.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$5.70 ₹543

414.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$4.59 ₹437

1024.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.93 ₹565

208.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$2.98 ₹284

70.13%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$32.18 ₹3,065

524.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,908 ₹181.7K

173.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$25.38 ₹2,418

45.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.62 ₹3,393

11.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$45.79 ₹4,361

71.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$42.26 ₹4,025

106.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$254 ₹24.2K

283.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$158 ₹15.0K

196.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$466 ₹44.4K

252.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$319 ₹30.4K

282.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$438 ₹41.7K

51.58%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Shillong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $254 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 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Shillong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $94.0 – 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 189%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $673 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $449 in Shillong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 198% 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 $449, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.