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 $1,120 per month in Taitung vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,864 per month in Taitung vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,607 per month in Taitung vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Both Taitung and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Taitung 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 NT$126

$11.94 MX$209

-66.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.27 NT$1,275

$42.75 MX$748

-5.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 NT$184

$10.59 MX$185

-45.23%

Cappuccino

$3.76 NT$119

$3.62 MX$63.4

3.87%

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

$1.18 NT$37.32

$1.47 MX$25.69

-19.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$23.68

$0.94 MX$16.51

-20.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 NT$107

$3.09 MX$54.1

9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 NT$106

$4.46 MX$78.0

-24.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.25 NT$103

$1.43 MX$24.94

127.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 NT$59.7

$1.88 MX$32.97

0.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 NT$96.8

$1.63 MX$28.50

87.73%

Eggs

$2.38 NT$75.2

$2.64 MX$46.26

-9.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.31 NT$643

$8.21 MX$144

147.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 NT$131

$8.29 MX$145

-49.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.55 NT$650

$11.10 MX$194

85.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 NT$64.9

$2.65 MX$46.40

-22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.7

$1.50 MX$26.26

99.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 NT$63.9

$1.99 MX$34.79

1.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 NT$130

$2.08 MX$36.33

97.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 NT$89.6

$1.79 MX$31.29

58.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 NT$71.1

$2.18 MX$38.09

3.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 NT$62.2

$1.08 MX$18.84

81.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 NT$43.58

$1.04 MX$18.15

32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 NT$130

$3.97 MX$69.5

3.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 NT$474

$10.20 MX$179

46.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NT$55.8

$1.73 MX$30.22

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NT$73.2

$2.50 MX$43.71

-7.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 NT$26.43

$0.52 MX$9.07

61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.80 NT$1,228

$26.97 MX$472

43.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 NT$89.6

$3.14 MX$55.0

-9.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$24.52

$2.40 MX$42.04

-67.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 NT$327

$3.09 MX$54.0

234.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.69

$1.27 MX$22.28

-18.90%

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

$38.2K NT$1.2M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

23.55%

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

$27.5K NT$869.2K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

17.79%

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

$84.9 NT$2,686

$82.0 MX$1,435

3.48%

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

$19.04 NT$603

$22.45 MX$393

-15.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.72 NT$782

$29.66 MX$519

-16.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.87 NT$1,199

$51.9 MX$908

-26.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.08 NT$477

$18.67 MX$327

-19.23%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 NT$321

$4.97 MX$87.0

104.23%

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

$630 NT$19.9K

$198 MX$3,462

218.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K NT$597.1K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

257.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.61 NT$969

$36.34 MX$636

-15.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.71 NT$529

$40.05 MX$701

-58.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.3 NT$1,687

$79.9 MX$1,398

-33.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NT$3,846

$88.9 MX$1,555

36.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 NT$13.5K

$963 MX$16.9K

-55.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 NT$9,015

$465 MX$8,133

-38.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 NT$33.3K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-34.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 NT$23.4K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-38.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,746 NT$213.5K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

71.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,689 NT$148.4K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-27.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$637 NT$20.2K

$720 MX$12.6K

-11.57%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Taitung versus $963 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 13% 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 $40.00 in Taitung versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Taitung vs $251 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 15%, 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 $1,680 per month in Taitung and $1,930 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 $1,120 in Taitung and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 44% 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 $1,120, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.