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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $689 in Zhongshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,093 in Zhongshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,497 in Zhongshan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 88% more than Zhongshan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zhongshan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zhongshan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$2.94 ¥19.73

298.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$23.60 ¥158

97.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$4.55 ¥30.50

156.04%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.95 ¥19.79

38.64%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.44 ¥2.92

211.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.29 ¥1.93

186.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$0.77 ¥5.15

335.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.82 ¥12.17

279.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.57 ¥10.52

10.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$1.70 ¥11.37

32.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$0.70 ¥4.69

152.86%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.19 ¥7.97

129.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$22.28 ¥149

-58.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$2.80 ¥18.73

218.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$13.44 ¥90.1

-6.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.07 ¥13.86

45.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.06 ¥7.07

48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$0.70 ¥4.70

204.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$1.40 ¥9.40

61.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$0.57 ¥3.83

250.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.71 ¥4.76

190.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.42 ¥2.83

180.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.53 ¥3.56

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$2.89 ¥19.34

60.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$12.59 ¥84.4

-15.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$0.68 ¥4.59

138.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$1.84 ¥12.34

56.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.31 ¥2.08

83.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$14.59 ¥97.8

104.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.51 ¥10.12

260.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.41 ¥2.73

802.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$7.17 ¥48.03

-16.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.20 ¥8.03

29.17%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$19.7K ¥131.9K

13.41%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$18.0K ¥120.7K

44.08%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$40.98 ¥275

117.50%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$9.96 ¥66.7

151.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$12.77 ¥85.6

146.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$66.8 ¥448

1.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$7.29 ¥48.86

296.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$6.06 ¥40.58

-16.67%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$314 ¥2,106

-28.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$13.5K ¥90.6K

-68.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$47.55 ¥319

-0.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$39.80 ¥267

13.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$59.1 ¥396

38.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$74.6 ¥500

23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$209 ¥1,397

412.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$125 ¥839

223.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$377 ¥2,525

413.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$209 ¥1,403

521.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$2,486 ¥16.7K

60.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,495 ¥10.0K

343.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$964 ¥6,463

-22.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.4

236.76%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Zhongshan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $209 in Zhongshan. 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 29% higher in Zhongshan, 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 $24.00 in Zhongshan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $231 – making Zhongshan 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 Zhongshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 88%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,034 in Zhongshan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhongshan, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $689 in Zhongshan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 104% less in Zhongshan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zhongshan, where all-in costs run around $689, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Zhongshan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhongshan – 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 Zhongshan. 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.