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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,059 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,837 in Zhubei City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,616 in Zhubei City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% 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 7% lower, Zhubei City 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.70 NT$150

146.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$27.90 NT$888

68.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.16 NT$164

130.23%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.06 NT$97.4

30.07%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.95 NT$30.28

50.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.56 NT$17.98

46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.88 NT$59.7

69.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.56 NT$81.4

165.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.96 NT$94.1

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.83 NT$58.2

20.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$4.63 NT$147

-63.07%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.87 NT$91.3

-4.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$25.09 NT$799

-61.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.74 NT$278

3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$25.46 NT$810

-49.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$4.11 NT$131

-29.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.55 NT$81.1

-41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.78 NT$88.6

-22.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.41 NT$108

-33.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.05 NT$97.0

-35.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.05 NT$65.3

-2.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.01 NT$64.1

-38.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.35 NT$42.93

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.00 NT$127

13.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$9.29 NT$296

11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.42 NT$45.21

14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.02 NT$64.2

42.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.60 NT$19.09

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.11 NT$98.9

73.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.65 NT$20.55

473.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$9.36 NT$298

-38.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.03 NT$32.78

49.51%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$33.7K NT$1.1M

-33.13%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$25.3K NT$805.1K

3.02%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$103 NT$3,268

-11.00%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$19.77 NT$629

27.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$23.52 NT$749

32.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$31.76 NT$1,011

111.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$10.06 NT$320

-51.69%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$663 NT$21.1K

-66.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$16.7K NT$532.7K

-74.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$58.3 NT$1,856

-19.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$32.07 NT$1,021

38.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$94.1 NT$2,994

-14.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$98.2 NT$3,126

-5.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$500 NT$15.9K

112.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$216 NT$6,882

80.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,124 NT$35.8K

91.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$785 NT$25.0K

62.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$16.4K NT$521.6K

-75.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$9,587 NT$305.2K

-32.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,410 NT$76.7K

-68.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.4

377.08%

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 Zhubei City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $500 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 218% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Zhubei City. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $404 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 20%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,588 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,059 in Zhubei City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $663 in Zhubei City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhubei City, where all-in costs run around $1,059, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.