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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,001 in Yilan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,746 in Yilan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,491 in Yilan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 26% more than Yilan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Yilan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Yilan 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$3.56 NT$113

225.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$808

$30.37 NT$965

55.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$4.85 NT$154

144.95%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.77 NT$87.9

43.68%

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

$1.43 MX$24.46

$1.05 NT$33.27

36.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.14

$0.71 NT$22.65

15.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.49 NT$47.42

114.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

$2.94 NT$93.5

130.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.72

$3.21 NT$102

-47.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.67

$1.72 NT$54.8

27.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.29

$2.66 NT$84.4

-35.71%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.99

$2.55 NT$81.0

7.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$29.36 NT$933

-67.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$7.93 NT$252

13.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$16.85 NT$535

-23.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.52

$4.40 NT$140

-34.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.67

$1.93 NT$61.3

-22.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.83

$1.84 NT$58.4

16.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.74

$2.27 NT$72.0

-0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.96

$1.21 NT$38.55

63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.11

$1.91 NT$60.8

4.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.16

$2.37 NT$75.3

-48.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.52

$0.92 NT$29.14

30.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

$3.71 NT$118

22.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$15.87 NT$504

-34.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.76

$1.41 NT$44.87

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.39

$2.53 NT$80.4

13.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

$0.76 NT$24.03

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$36.58 NT$1,162

-21.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.4

$2.74 NT$87.1

96.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$0.93 NT$29.61

301.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

$9.24 NT$294

-37.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.34

$0.99 NT$31.56

55.56%

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

$22.5K MX$386.6K

$25.0K NT$794.0K

-9.76%

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

$26.1K MX$446.7K

$19.9K NT$632.4K

30.94%

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

$91.4 MX$1,567

$47.93 NT$1,523

90.65%

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

$25.20 MX$432

$14.86 NT$472

69.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$21.17 NT$673

47.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

$31.96 NT$1,016

110.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.4

$8.29 NT$263

-41.38%

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

$224 MX$3,834

$347 NT$11.0K

-35.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

$17.0K NT$538.9K

-75.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$54.6 NT$1,736

-13.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$31.89 NT$1,013

38.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$83.9 NT$2,665

-4.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,589

$62.7 NT$1,992

47.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$278 NT$8,844

281.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

$254 NT$8,075

53.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

$992 NT$31.5K

116.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$744 NT$23.6K

71.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

$7,457 NT$237.0K

-46.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.5K

$5,040 NT$160.2K

29.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$1,026 NT$32.6K

-26.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.27

404.41%

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 Yilan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $278 in Yilan. 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 35% higher in Yilan, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Yilan. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $373 in Yilan – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Yilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,502 in Yilan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yilan, 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 $1,001 in Yilan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 27% less in Yilan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yilan, where all-in costs run around $1,001, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Yilan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yilan – 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 Yilan. 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.