Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Zhongli City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Zhongli City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,064 in Zhongli City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,807 in Zhongli City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,549 in Zhongli City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 22% more than Zhongli City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zhongli City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Zhongli City 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.10 NT$161

130.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$20.62 NT$649

101.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.67 NT$147

127.84%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.50 NT$78.7

40.80%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.79 NT$24.94

91.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.60 NT$19.00

61.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.47 NT$46.30

100.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.49 NT$46.86

198.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$3.43 NT$108

-59.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.77 NT$55.9

6.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.85 NT$89.6

-42.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.60 NT$81.7

-3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$31.63 NT$996

-73.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.15 NT$257

2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$15.91 NT$501

-32.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$4.53 NT$143

-42.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.83 NT$57.5

-20.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.30 NT$72.3

-17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.95 NT$92.7

-29.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.34 NT$42.32

32.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.94 NT$60.9

12.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.30 NT$72.3

-54.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.29 NT$40.50

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.14 NT$130

-1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$16.03 NT$505

-35.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.66 NT$52.2

3.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.33 NT$73.5

10.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.63 NT$19.70

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$40.79 NT$1,284

-35.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.81 NT$88.5

16.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.72 NT$22.74

245.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$10.04 NT$316

-67.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.98 NT$30.73

33.67%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$34.2K NT$1.1M

-11.49%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$25.4K NT$799.7K

-7.78%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$95.4 NT$3,002

-13.11%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.49 NT$425

64.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$10.23 NT$322

186.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$37.35 NT$1,176

38.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.05 NT$474

21.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$9.56 NT$301

-46.97%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$357 NT$11.2K

-43.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$21.0K NT$659.8K

-75.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$61.8 NT$1,946

-40.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$20.07 NT$632

98.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$80.6 NT$2,537

-2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$66.7 NT$2,099

30.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$431 NT$13.6K

125.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$256 NT$8,067

82.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,043 NT$32.8K

57.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$741 NT$23.3K

64.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,372 NT$74.7K

-72.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.1

443.81%

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 Zhongli City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $431 in Zhongli City. 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 257% higher in Zhongli City, 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 $21.00 in Zhongli City. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $392 in Zhongli City – 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 Zhongli City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,596 in Zhongli City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhongli City, 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 $1,064 in Zhongli City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Zhongli City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhongli City, where all-in costs run around $1,064, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Zhongli City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhongli City – 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 Zhongli City. 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.