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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,028 in Shiso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,916 in Shiso, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,804 in Shiso, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 26% 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 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$7.99 ¥1,249

46.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$66.2 ¥10.3K

-29.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$6.45 ¥1,007

80.62%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.55 ¥554

15.21%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.86 ¥134

59.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.71 ¥110

16.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.61 ¥408

28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.09 ¥482

123.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.53 ¥239

13.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$2.90 ¥454

-22.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$4.90 ¥766

-63.88%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$2.18 ¥341

25.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$10.25 ¥1,601

-10.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.25 ¥977

42.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$26.41 ¥4,125

-52.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$5.50 ¥858

-45.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$2.68 ¥419

-41.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$4.08 ¥638

-47.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$5.73 ¥896

-60.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$4.29 ¥671

-53.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$2.58 ¥403

-20.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.40 ¥218

-15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.81 ¥127

48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$4.06 ¥635

14.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$7.26 ¥1,135

47.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.90 ¥297

-14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.27 ¥355

26.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.37 ¥213

-58.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$32.74 ¥5,115

-8.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$3.48 ¥544

56.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.92 ¥456

26.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$20.83 ¥3,255

-71.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.21 ¥190

28.10%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$23.0K ¥3.6M

-2.94%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$17.3K ¥2.7M

49.58%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$146 ¥22.8K

-38.91%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$23.62 ¥3,689

6.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$13.37 ¥2,089

135.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$36.94 ¥5,771

83.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$14.09 ¥2,201

105.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$4.77 ¥745

5.87%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$285 ¥44.5K

-20.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$13.4K ¥2.1M

-68.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$9.87 ¥1,541

380.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$29.61 ¥4,626

51.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$33.58 ¥5,246

144.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$101 ¥15.8K

-9.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$471 ¥73.5K

127.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$166 ¥25.9K

144.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$857 ¥133.9K

125.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$662 ¥103.4K

96.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$4,279 ¥668.4K

-6.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$2,109 ¥329.4K

214.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.78

543.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Shiso: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $471 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $66.0 in Shiso. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $364 – 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 26%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,542 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,028 in Shiso. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% 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 $1,028, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.