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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $782 in Xiamen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,265 in Xiamen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,748 in Xiamen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 65% more than Xiamen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Xiamen are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Xiamen 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.73 ¥18.73

337.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$23.25 ¥159

83.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.43 ¥37.21

95.03%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.84 ¥19.44

27.46%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.50 ¥3.43

194.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.29 ¥1.97

224.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.37 ¥9.40

125.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.38 ¥23.16

31.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.79 ¥12.24

-20.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.06 ¥14.14

-8.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.80 ¥5.50

103.75%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.40 ¥9.56

88.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$10.99 ¥75.3

-25.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.35 ¥16.11

252.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.05 ¥75.7

0.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.35 ¥16.07

12.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.32 ¥9.06

13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.52 ¥10.41

30.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.84 ¥12.57

13.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.91 ¥6.21

96.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.72 ¥11.76

26.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.88 ¥6.02

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.55 ¥3.76

89.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.73 ¥18.69

45.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.95 ¥75.0

-6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.78 ¥5.35

121.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.65 ¥11.29

51.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.20 ¥1.37

160.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$11.13 ¥76.2

142.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.37 ¥9.42

129.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.26 ¥1.78

823.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.80 ¥46.55

-54.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.17 ¥8.04

8.55%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$16.8K ¥114.8K

84.29%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$17.2K ¥118.1K

35.26%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$39.51 ¥271

107.57%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.98 ¥68.4

124.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$9.64 ¥66.1

207.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$43.58 ¥299

19.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$9.87 ¥67.6

89.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$9.52 ¥65.2

-47.79%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$453 ¥3,104

-56.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$22.7K ¥155.3K

-76.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$43.65 ¥299

-16.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$26.95 ¥185

48.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$85.4 ¥585

-6.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$79.9 ¥547

11.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$328 ¥2,249

193.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$252 ¥1,729

84.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$849 ¥5,814

88.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$514 ¥3,518

135.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$9,027 ¥61.8K

-56.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$5,094 ¥34.9K

26.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,134 ¥7,764

-36.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.56

220.79%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Xiamen: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $328 in Xiamen. 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 57% higher in Xiamen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Xiamen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $205 – making Xiamen 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 Xiamen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 65%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,172 in Xiamen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Xiamen, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $782 in Xiamen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 142% less in Xiamen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Xiamen, where all-in costs run around $782, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Xiamen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Xiamen – 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 Xiamen. 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.