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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $710 in Tonghua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,116 in Tonghua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,521 in Tonghua, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Tonghua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tonghua are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tonghua 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.81 ¥18.97

326.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$20.55 ¥139

103.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.02 ¥33.89

114.14%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.92 ¥19.73

19.86%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.44 ¥2.96

229.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.27 ¥1.80

225.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$0.94 ¥6.37

213.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.03 ¥13.74

122.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.62 ¥10.96

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.55 ¥10.46

18.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.96 ¥6.47

63.54%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.58 ¥10.67

58.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.01 ¥87.9

-36.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.21 ¥21.69

162.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.02 ¥67.7

6.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.72 ¥11.61

51.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.24 ¥8.41

16.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.41 ¥9.50

39.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.08 ¥7.31

93.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.73 ¥4.96

153.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.92 ¥6.24

135.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.60 ¥4.07

71.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.50 ¥3.41

114.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.19 ¥21.58

28.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$11.96 ¥80.8

-14.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.75 ¥5.08

124.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.63 ¥11.03

55.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.29 ¥1.98

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$16.69 ¥113

56.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.43 ¥9.67

125.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.33 ¥2.21

630.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.59 ¥44.52

-50.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.18 ¥7.97

11.86%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.1K ¥129.4K

55.08%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$16.4K ¥111.1K

43.98%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$45.78 ¥309

79.14%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.63 ¥65.1

138.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$11.40 ¥77.0

164.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$41.33 ¥279

25.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$14.02 ¥94.7

32.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.29 ¥42.53

-20.83%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$335 ¥2,262

-41.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$17.2K ¥116.1K

-68.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$42.90 ¥290

-17.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.63 ¥207

31.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$71.6 ¥484

9.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$74.8 ¥505

18.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$283 ¥1,911

234.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$190 ¥1,286

149.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$583 ¥3,938

182.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$362 ¥2,444

234.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$3,060 ¥20.7K

32.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,832 ¥12.4K

253.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$502 ¥3,390

30.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.87

195.09%

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 Tonghua: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $283 in Tonghua. 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 30% 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 $21.00 in Tonghua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $198 – making Tonghua 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 Tonghua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 77%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,065 in Tonghua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tonghua, 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 $710 in Tonghua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Tonghua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tonghua, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Tonghua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Tonghua. 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.