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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,053 in Taitung, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,800 in Taitung, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,546 in Taitung, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Taitung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taitung are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Taitung 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.85 NT$122

201.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$48.29 NT$1,534

-2.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.09 NT$193

95.07%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.59 NT$114

10.86%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.98 NT$31.05

45.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.66 NT$20.95

24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.79 NT$88.6

14.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.79 NT$120

79.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$3.11 NT$98.9

-45.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.95 NT$61.9

12.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$3.05 NT$96.9

-43.93%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.25 NT$71.6

21.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$19.53 NT$620

-50.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.90 NT$124

131.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$21.97 NT$698

-41.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.89 NT$60.0

52.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$2.90 NT$92.0

-48.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.96 NT$62.2

9.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$4.61 NT$146

-50.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$2.86 NT$90.8

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.27 NT$72.1

-12.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.75 NT$55.7

-29.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.13 NT$35.74

6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$3.88 NT$123

17.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$14.55 NT$462

-28.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.72 NT$54.7

-5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.28 NT$72.4

26.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.61 NT$19.43

-1.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$36.80 NT$1,169

-21.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$2.73 NT$86.8

97.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.82 NT$26.19

354.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$9.24 NT$294

-37.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.92 NT$29.12

67.39%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$34.0K NT$1.1M

-33.69%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$24.4K NT$774.4K

6.88%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$85.0 NT$2,699

7.56%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$17.93 NT$570

40.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$27.73 NT$881

12.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$37.04 NT$1,176

81.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$9.60 NT$305

-49.38%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$625 NT$19.8K

-64.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$16.7K NT$531.7K

-74.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$28.95 NT$919

62.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$15.63 NT$496

183.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$50.4 NT$1,600

59.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$108 NT$3,417

-13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$414 NT$13.1K

156.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$251 NT$7,966

55.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$991 NT$31.5K

116.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$741 NT$23.5K

71.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$7,353 NT$233.5K

-45.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$5,069 NT$161.0K

28.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$633 NT$20.1K

19.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.4

377.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Taitung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $414 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 20% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Taitung. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $349 – 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 Taitung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,580 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,053 in Taitung. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 28% 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 $1,053, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.