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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $642 in Zhongshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $996 in Zhongshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,350 in Zhongshan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% 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 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.80 ¥18.92

328.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$16.98 ¥115

146.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.27 ¥28.89

151.76%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.80 ¥18.89

25.00%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.40 ¥2.72

262.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.27 ¥1.81

225.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$0.73 ¥4.90

304.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.69 ¥11.43

166.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.77 ¥11.94

-19.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.80 ¥12.17

2.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.97 ¥6.56

61.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.56 ¥10.54

60.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$12.87 ¥87.0

-35.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$2.59 ¥17.53

225.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$12.62 ¥85.3

-15.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.83 ¥12.35

42.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.94 ¥6.36

53.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.60 ¥4.06

226.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.38 ¥9.30

51.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.50 ¥3.40

270.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.73 ¥4.96

197.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.36 ¥2.44

186.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.51 ¥3.48

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.86 ¥19.32

43.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.36 ¥83.6

-17.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.65 ¥4.38

158.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.93 ¥13.03

31.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.29 ¥1.96

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$13.82 ¥93.4

88.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.28 ¥8.62

152.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.37 ¥2.52

551.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$7.01 ¥47.39

-53.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.13 ¥7.65

16.81%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$22.8K ¥154.1K

30.21%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$20.3K ¥137.2K

16.51%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$38.39 ¥259

113.62%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.49 ¥57.4

170.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$11.88 ¥80.3

153.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$63.6 ¥430

-18.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$6.98 ¥47.20

165.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.71 ¥38.59

-12.78%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$298 ¥2,014

-33.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$12.5K ¥84.4K

-57.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$44.38 ¥300

-19.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.38 ¥205

32.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$56.6 ¥382

39.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$69.3 ¥468

28.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$196 ¥1,323

383.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$119 ¥806

297.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$349 ¥2,359

370.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$200 ¥1,354

504.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,411 ¥16.3K

68.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,457 ¥9,846

344.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$948 ¥6,409

-31.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.83

198.17%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zhongshan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $196 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 45% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Zhongshan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $202 – 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 96%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $962 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $642 in Zhongshan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 88% 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 $642, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.