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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $734 in Yantai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,151 in Yantai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,567 in Yantai, rent included.

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

Both Playa del Carmen and Yantai are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Yantai 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.31 ¥22.42

254.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$18.05 ¥122

130.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.56 ¥30.87

133.33%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.43 ¥23.23

2.62%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.48 ¥3.24

214.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.29 ¥1.96

234.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$0.88 ¥5.94

235.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.14 ¥14.49

107.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.95 ¥13.20

-29.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.48 ¥10.04

27.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.63 ¥4.28

160.32%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.30 ¥8.79

93.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$14.84 ¥100

-43.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.23 ¥28.62

97.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.48 ¥50.6

43.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.37 ¥9.26

89.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.89 ¥6.00

64.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.22 ¥8.23

55.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.05 ¥7.12

98.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.73 ¥4.96

143.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.08 ¥7.29

102.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.60 ¥4.07

73.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.47 ¥3.18

129.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.99 ¥27.04

2.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$14.38 ¥97.4

-28.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.04 ¥7.04

64.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.58 ¥10.67

63.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.27 ¥1.81

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$16.62 ¥113

59.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.40 ¥9.50

132.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.22 ¥1.48

1031.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$5.97 ¥40.42

-45.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.12 ¥7.56

16.96%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$20.1K ¥136.2K

50.44%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$13.4K ¥90.7K

74.92%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$51.7 ¥350

60.29%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$10.98 ¥74.3

102.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$10.55 ¥71.4

178.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$27.70 ¥187

86.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$6.81 ¥46.06

169.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.92 ¥33.33

3.05%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$333 ¥2,254

-39.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$23.5K ¥159.1K

-77.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$77.8 ¥527

-52.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$38.62 ¥261

3.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$80.9 ¥548

-3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$99.6 ¥674

-12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$140 ¥949

593.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$188 ¥1,272

148.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$389 ¥2,635

321.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$366 ¥2,476

233.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$3,186 ¥21.6K

23.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$6,534 ¥44.2K

-0.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,106 ¥7,489

-40.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.81

199.74%

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 Yantai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $140 in Yantai. 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 67% higher in Yantai, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Yantai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $202 – making Yantai 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 Yantai: 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,101 in Yantai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yantai, 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 $734 in Yantai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Yantai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yantai, where all-in costs run around $734, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Yantai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yantai – 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 Yantai. 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.