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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,083 in Taitung, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,820 in Taitung, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,558 in Taitung, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Taitung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taitung are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Taitung 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.17 NT$135

181.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$40.98 NT$1,323

2.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.66 NT$183

85.69%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.86 NT$125

-6.99%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.17 NT$37.81

29.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.74 NT$23.87

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.36 NT$109

-11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.29 NT$106

34.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$3.12 NT$101

-55.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.98 NT$63.8

-5.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.04 NT$98.3

-48.68%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.50 NT$80.9

4.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$20.41 NT$659

-59.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.10 NT$132

103.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$20.37 NT$658

-46.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.06 NT$66.5

31.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.97 NT$95.9

-49.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.05 NT$66.1

-8.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.24 NT$137

-48.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.84 NT$91.8

-34.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.28 NT$73.7

-2.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.97 NT$63.7

-45.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.38 NT$44.53

-21.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.04 NT$130

3.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$14.09 NT$455

-25.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.73 NT$55.9

-4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.39 NT$77.3

9.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.82 NT$26.63

-34.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$39.67 NT$1,281

-34.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.81 NT$90.6

9.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.72 NT$23.41

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$10.23 NT$330

-69.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.03 NT$33.40

27.18%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$37.3K NT$1.2M

-20.19%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.3K NT$880.9K

-14.51%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$85.0 NT$2,744

-4.37%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$18.74 NT$605

20.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$24.52 NT$792

22.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$37.36 NT$1,206

41.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$15.27 NT$493

20.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$10.15 NT$328

-51.53%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$639 NT$20.6K

-68.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$19.0K NT$612.7K

-72.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$30.56 NT$987

17.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$16.58 NT$535

142.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$53.2 NT$1,718

49.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$123 NT$3,961

-29.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$435 NT$14.1K

124.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$289 NT$9,324

62.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,020 NT$33.0K

61.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$731 NT$23.6K

64.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$6,321 NT$204.1K

-37.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$5,238 NT$169.2K

26.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$609 NT$19.7K

11.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.19

421.46%

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 Taitung: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $435 in Taitung. 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 11% 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 $41.00 in Taitung. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $353 in Taitung – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Taitung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,624 in Taitung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taitung, 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 $1,083 in Taitung. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% less in Taitung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Taitung, where all-in costs run around $1,083, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Taitung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taitung – 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 Taitung. 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.