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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,098 in Shiso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,967 in Shiso, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,836 in Shiso, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Shiso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shiso are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Shiso 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$8.03 ¥1,304

49.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$67.2 ¥10.9K

-37.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.27 ¥1,018

71.45%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.61 ¥587

-3.05%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.90 ¥146

61.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.72 ¥117

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.64 ¥429

11.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.15 ¥512

43.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.52 ¥246

-5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.97 ¥482

-38.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.87 ¥792

-67.76%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.30 ¥374

9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.99 ¥1,623

-17.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.30 ¥1,023

33.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$26.58 ¥4,319

-59.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.33 ¥866

-51.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.55 ¥414

-43.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.09 ¥665

-52.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$5.87 ¥953

-64.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$4.44 ¥721

-58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.61 ¥424

-16.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.32 ¥215

-21.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.83 ¥135

28.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.11 ¥667

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.24 ¥1,176

40.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.91 ¥311

-12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.16 ¥350

17.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.30 ¥211

-60.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$33.01 ¥5,363

-21.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.53 ¥573

-8.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.88 ¥469

-16.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$20.97 ¥3,406

-84.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.28 ¥208

3.13%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$23.5K ¥3.8M

26.22%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$17.1K ¥2.8M

38.63%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$146 ¥23.6K

-43.64%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$65.6 ¥10.7K

-65.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$13.40 ¥2,177

124.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$37.33 ¥6,065

39.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$13.76 ¥2,235

34.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.62 ¥751

7.79%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$279 ¥45.3K

-29.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$13.4K ¥2.2M

-60.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$10.05 ¥1,633

254.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.71 ¥4,827

35.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$33.25 ¥5,403

136.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$102 ¥16.6K

-12.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$473 ¥76.8K

100.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$165 ¥26.9K

186.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$883 ¥143.5K

86.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$670 ¥108.8K

80.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$4,185 ¥680.0K

-3.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,075 ¥337.1K

211.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.78

541.57%

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 Shiso: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $473 in Shiso. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $67.0 in Shiso. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $365 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Shiso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,647 in Shiso. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shiso, 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 $1,098 in Shiso. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 27% less in Shiso. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shiso, where all-in costs run around $1,098, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Shiso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Shiso. 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.