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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,098 per month in Shiso vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,967 per month in Shiso vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,836 per month in Shiso vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Shiso is about 13% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shiso and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Shiso 18% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 ¥1,304

$11.99 MX$209

-33.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 ¥10.9K

$41.78 MX$728

60.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ¥1,018

$10.75 MX$187

-41.67%

Cappuccino

$3.61 ¥587

$3.50 MX$60.9

3.14%

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

$0.90 ¥146

$1.45 MX$25.22

-37.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥117

$0.88 MX$15.41

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 ¥429

$2.95 MX$51.3

-10.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ¥512

$4.51 MX$78.6

-30.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ¥246

$1.43 MX$24.94

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 ¥482

$1.84 MX$31.99

61.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥792

$1.57 MX$27.31

210.19%

Eggs

$2.30 ¥374

$2.51 MX$43.74

-8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 ¥1,623

$8.28 MX$144

20.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 ¥1,023

$8.43 MX$147

-25.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.58 ¥4,319

$10.68 MX$186

148.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.33 ¥866

$2.61 MX$45.43

104.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 ¥414

$1.44 MX$25.04

77.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 ¥665

$1.96 MX$34.16

108.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 ¥953

$2.09 MX$36.47

180.86%

Potato (1kg)

$4.44 ¥721

$1.85 MX$32.24

140.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 ¥424

$2.17 MX$37.74

20.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥215

$1.03 MX$17.96

28.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥135

$1.07 MX$18.70

-22.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ¥667

$4.10 MX$71.4

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 ¥1,176

$10.17 MX$177

-28.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥311

$1.68 MX$29.17

13.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ¥350

$2.53 MX$43.98

-14.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 ¥211

$0.51 MX$8.87

154.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.01 ¥5,363

$26.04 MX$453

26.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 ¥573

$3.23 MX$56.3

9.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 ¥469

$2.41 MX$41.88

19.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.97 ¥3,406

$3.23 MX$56.2

549.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥208

$1.32 MX$23.00

-3.03%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-20.77%

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

$17.1K ¥2.8M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-27.86%

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

$146 ¥23.6K

$82.0 MX$1,428

77.42%

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

$65.6 ¥10.7K

$22.95 MX$400

185.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.40 ¥2,177

$30.11 MX$524

-55.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.33 ¥6,065

$52.0 MX$905

-28.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.76 ¥2,235

$18.53 MX$323

-25.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ¥751

$4.98 MX$86.6

-7.23%

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

$279 ¥45.3K

$197 MX$3,438

41.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.2M

$5,336 MX$92.9K

150.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.05 ¥1,633

$35.60 MX$620

-71.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,827

$40.33 MX$702

-26.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.25 ¥5,403

$78.8 MX$1,371

-57.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥16.6K

$88.9 MX$1,549

14.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ¥76.8K

$947 MX$16.5K

-50.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 ¥26.9K

$474 MX$8,254

-65.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$883 ¥143.5K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-46.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 ¥108.8K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-44.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,185 ¥680.0K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

3.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,075 ¥337.1K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-67.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

11.42

-84.41%

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

Last update for Shiso: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Shiso versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Shiso versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Shiso vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,647 per month in Shiso and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shiso, 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 $1,098 in Shiso and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 27% less in Shiso. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shiso, where all-in costs run around $1,098, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Shiso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shiso – 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 Shiso. 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.