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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,119 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,029 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,940 in Zhubei City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Zhubei City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zhubei City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Zhubei City 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.96 NT$156

136.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$34.24 NT$1,079

21.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.67 NT$179

87.65%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.70 NT$117

-4.86%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.98 NT$30.98

54.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.63 NT$19.84

53.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.26 NT$71.3

30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.69 NT$84.9

65.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$3.25 NT$102

-57.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.99 NT$62.8

-5.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$4.34 NT$137

-62.21%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.02 NT$95.0

-16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$13.73 NT$433

-39.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.74 NT$275

-4.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$27.81 NT$876

-61.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$4.38 NT$138

-40.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.58 NT$81.2

-43.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.78 NT$87.5

-31.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.95 NT$124

-47.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$4.02 NT$127

-55.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.53 NT$79.9

-13.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.65 NT$83.4

-60.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.39 NT$43.65

-22.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.17 NT$131

-2.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$9.15 NT$288

12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.57 NT$49.58

8.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.70 NT$85.0

-4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.65 NT$20.40

-21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$38.26 NT$1,205

-30.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.40 NT$107

-4.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.63 NT$19.78

295.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$10.19 NT$321

-68.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.03 NT$32.42

27.18%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$41.8K NT$1.3M

-27.63%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$27.2K NT$856.5K

-13.81%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$93.0 NT$2,930

-10.89%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$33.79 NT$1,064

-34.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$24.60 NT$775

19.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$34.24 NT$1,079

50.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.27 NT$481

19.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$11.76 NT$370

-56.89%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$690 NT$21.7K

-70.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$15.2K NT$479.7K

-65.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$85.4 NT$2,690

-56.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$47.83 NT$1,507

-16.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$99.9 NT$3,147

-21.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$115 NT$3,617

-24.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$427 NT$13.4K

127.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$212 NT$6,690

120.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,180 NT$37.2K

39.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$863 NT$27.2K

41.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$16.8K NT$528.0K

-76.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$9,937 NT$313.1K

-34.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,432 NT$76.6K

-72.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.4

375.83%

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 Zhubei City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $427 in Zhubei 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 266% higher in Zhubei 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 $34.00 in Zhubei City. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $394 in Zhubei 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 Zhubei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,678 in Zhubei City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhubei 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 $1,119 in Zhubei City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Zhubei City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhubei City, where all-in costs run around $1,119, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Zhubei 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 Zhubei 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 Zhubei 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.