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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $713 in Tengzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,136 in Tengzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,558 in Tengzhou, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 82% more than Tengzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tengzhou are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tengzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.75 ¥18.64

326.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$21.39 ¥145

94.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.85 ¥32.83

119.38%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$2.99 ¥20.23

17.73%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.47 ¥3.20

221.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.27 ¥1.81

259.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$0.88 ¥5.93

235.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.08 ¥14.08

113.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.79 ¥12.12

-22.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.59 ¥10.77

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$0.89 ¥6.01

84.27%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$1.59 ¥10.79

57.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.78 ¥86.6

-34.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.26 ¥22.07

155.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$10.03 ¥68.0

6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.81 ¥12.24

43.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.20 ¥8.13

21.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.54 ¥10.41

23.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.13 ¥7.67

84.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.69 ¥4.70

157.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.97 ¥6.56

125.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.55 ¥3.76

89.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.51 ¥3.45

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$3.17 ¥21.49

28.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.47 ¥70.9

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$0.78 ¥5.31

119.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$1.60 ¥10.83

61.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.29 ¥1.97

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$16.87 ¥114

56.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.36 ¥9.18

139.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.33 ¥2.22

654.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$6.67 ¥45.14

-51.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.12 ¥7.58

16.96%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$19.1K ¥129.2K

58.77%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$17.1K ¥115.5K

37.37%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$45.25 ¥306

83.14%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.65 ¥65.4

130.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$11.88 ¥80.5

146.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$41.36 ¥280

24.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.04 ¥95.1

30.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$5.85 ¥39.60

-13.33%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$333 ¥2,252

-39.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$16.9K ¥114.2K

-69.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$44.24 ¥300

-16.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$30.24 ¥205

31.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$70.5 ¥478

11.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$70.5 ¥478

23.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$277 ¥1,874

251.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$189 ¥1,283

146.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$597 ¥4,046

174.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$359 ¥2,430

240.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$3,023 ¥20.5K

30.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$2,032 ¥13.8K

219.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.89

193.57%

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 Tengzhou: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $277 in Tengzhou. 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 $21.00 in Tengzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $197 – making Tengzhou 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 Tengzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 82%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,070 in Tengzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tengzhou, 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 $713 in Tengzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Tengzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tengzhou, where all-in costs run around $713, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tengzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tengzhou – 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 Tengzhou. 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.