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

🙂 Solo nomad: Shanghai is 27.5% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 3% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Shanghai is 5.4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 13.4% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Shanghai
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.73 ¥33.92
$11.99 MX$227
-60.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.17 ¥259
$42.47 MX$803
-14.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.6 ¥40.18
$10.47 MX$198
-46.51%
Cappuccino
$3.56 ¥25.53
$3.6 MX$68.2
-1.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 ¥3.9
$1.44 MX$27.16
-62.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ¥2.59
$0.89 MX$16.79
-59.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.43 ¥10.25
$3.09 MX$58.5
-53.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ¥19.81
$4.58 MX$86.6
-39.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shanghai
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 ¥15.66
$1.38 MX$26.04
57.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 ¥13
$1.85 MX$34.9
-2.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.1 ¥7.9
$1.57 MX$29.68
-29.94%
Eggs
$1.69 ¥12.1
$2.55 MX$48.3
-33.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.79 ¥113
$8.61 MX$163
83.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ¥22.76
$8.54 MX$161
-62.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.88 ¥78.1
$10.98 MX$208
-0.91%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 ¥16.24
$2.72 MX$51.4
-16.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 ¥11.98
$1.51 MX$28.57
10.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.78 ¥12.78
$1.88 MX$35.63
-5.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.52 ¥10.94
$2.19 MX$41.42
-30.59%
Potato (1kg)
$0.85 ¥6.09
$1.87 MX$35.3
-54.55%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ¥8.37
$2.19 MX$41.37
-46.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ¥4.84
$1.07 MX$20.23
-36.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.6 ¥4.29
$1.09 MX$20.64
-44.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.87 ¥20.56
$3.96 MX$74.9
-27.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.16 ¥80
$8.86 MX$167
25.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.8 ¥5.73
$1.72 MX$32.53
-53.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56 ¥11.22
$2.61 MX$49.37
-40.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Shanghai
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.4 ¥2.89
$0.52 MX$9.74
-23.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.15 ¥252
$26.59 MX$503
32.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.29 ¥16.45
$3.24 MX$61.2
-29.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 ¥2.69
$2.38 MX$44.94
-84.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.14 ¥58.4
$3.11 MX$58.7
161.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 ¥7.81
$1.31 MX$24.85
-16.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K ¥140.1K
$30.3K MX$573K
-35.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.2K ¥130.5K
$24K MX$453.6K
-24.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shanghai
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$51.6 ¥370
$84.2 MX$1,592
-38.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.68 ¥62.2
$22.14 MX$419
-60.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.5 ¥96.8
$30.14 MX$570
-55.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shanghai
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.42 ¥333
$52 MX$983
-10.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.44 ¥147
$18.72 MX$354
9.19%
Cinema Ticket
$8.58 ¥61.5
$5.07 MX$95.9
69.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shanghai
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,307 ¥9,378
$200 MX$3,787
552.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.4K ¥225.4K
$5,333 MX$100.8K
489.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shanghai
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.8 ¥422
$35.74 MX$676
64.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.99 ¥265
$39.8 MX$753
-7.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 ¥558
$79 MX$1,493
-1.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.5 ¥706
$88.4 MX$1,671
11.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shanghai
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$952 ¥6,827
$965 MX$18.3K
-1.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$574 ¥4,115
$474 MX$8,968
20.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,518 ¥18.1K
$1,653 MX$31.2K
52.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ¥8,614
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-0.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$14.4K ¥103.2K
$3,081 MX$58.3K
366.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,106 ¥51K
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-5.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shanghai
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,534 ¥11K
$792 MX$15K
93.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.58
11.42
-68.65%

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 28, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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