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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,083 per month in Taitung vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,820 per month in Taitung vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,558 per month in Taitung vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Taitung is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taitung and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Taitung 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.17 NT$135

$11.72 MX$203

-64.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.98 NT$1,323

$41.89 MX$725

-2.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.66 NT$183

$10.51 MX$182

-46.15%

Cappuccino

$3.86 NT$125

$3.59 MX$62.0

7.52%

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

$1.17 NT$37.81

$1.51 MX$26.10

-22.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NT$23.87

$0.92 MX$15.83

-19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 NT$109

$2.96 MX$51.2

13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 NT$106

$4.41 MX$76.3

-25.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 NT$101

$1.40 MX$24.16

122.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$63.8

$1.88 MX$32.60

5.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 NT$98.3

$1.56 MX$26.97

94.87%

Eggs

$2.50 NT$80.9

$2.61 MX$45.14

-4.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.41 NT$659

$8.32 MX$144

145.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 NT$132

$8.35 MX$145

-50.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.37 NT$658

$10.86 MX$188

87.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 NT$66.5

$2.71 MX$46.93

-23.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 NT$95.9

$1.51 MX$26.04

96.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 NT$66.1

$1.87 MX$32.41

9.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 NT$137

$2.19 MX$37.89

93.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 NT$91.8

$1.86 MX$32.14

52.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$73.7

$2.23 MX$38.59

2.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$63.7

$1.07 MX$18.48

84.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 NT$44.53

$1.09 MX$18.79

26.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 NT$130

$4.19 MX$72.4

-3.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 NT$455

$10.43 MX$180

35.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$55.9

$1.66 MX$28.68

4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 NT$77.3

$2.61 MX$45.19

-8.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$26.63

$0.54 MX$9.37

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.67 NT$1,281

$26.16 MX$453

51.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 NT$90.6

$3.08 MX$53.3

-8.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 NT$23.41

$2.40 MX$41.61

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.23 NT$330

$3.13 MX$54.1

226.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$33.40

$1.31 MX$22.69

-21.37%

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

$37.3K NT$1.2M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

25.30%

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

$27.3K NT$880.9K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

16.97%

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

$85.0 NT$2,744

$81.3 MX$1,406

4.56%

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

$18.74 NT$605

$22.56 MX$390

-16.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.52 NT$792

$30.05 MX$520

-18.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.36 NT$1,206

$52.9 MX$915

-29.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 NT$493

$18.39 MX$318

-16.97%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 NT$328

$4.92 MX$85.1

106.30%

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

$639 NT$20.6K

$201 MX$3,474

217.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K NT$612.7K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

266.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.56 NT$987

$35.92 MX$622

-14.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.58 NT$535

$40.13 MX$694

-58.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.2 NT$1,718

$79.7 MX$1,379

-33.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NT$3,961

$86.5 MX$1,496

41.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 NT$14.1K

$978 MX$16.9K

-55.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 NT$9,324

$470 MX$8,140

-38.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 NT$33.0K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-38.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 NT$23.6K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-39.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,321 NT$204.1K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

59.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,238 NT$169.2K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-20.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 NT$19.7K

$677 MX$11.7K

-10.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

11.42

-80.82%

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

Last update for Taitung: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Taitung versus $978 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.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Taitung versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $353 in Taitung vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – 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

Taitung vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $1,624 per month in Taitung and $1,890 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 Taitung, 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 $1,083 in Taitung and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% less in Taitung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Taitung, where all-in costs run around $1,083, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Taitung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taitung – 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 Taitung. 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.