Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhangjiakou and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Zhangjiakou: $776 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Zhangjiakou
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Zhangjiakou Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Zhangjiakou

🇨🇳 China

$776

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zhangjiakou and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zhangjiakou and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $776 per month in Zhangjiakou vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zhangjiakou $776
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Zhangjiakou vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zhangjiakou $1,223
Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $1,670 per month in Zhangjiakou vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zhangjiakou $1,670
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Zhangjiakou is about 36% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Zhangjiakou and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zhangjiakou 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.21 ¥14.72

$10.86 MX$203

-79.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.26 ¥161

$44.21 MX$826

-45.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.91 ¥39.37

$11.76 MX$220

-49.74%

Cappuccino

$3.50 ¥23.30

$3.68 MX$68.8

-4.89%

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

$0.50 ¥3.35

$1.34 MX$25.06

-62.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ¥1.72

$0.82 MX$15.41

-68.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 ¥6.14

$3.06 MX$57.2

-69.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.27

$4.94 MX$92.2

-65.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥9.86

$1.47 MX$27.46

0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 ¥14.73

$2.22 MX$41.39

-0.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.07

$1.48 MX$27.62

-28.38%

Eggs

$1.06 ¥7.03

$2.49 MX$46.50

-57.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.23 ¥101

$7.52 MX$140

102.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 ¥19.80

$7.96 MX$149

-62.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ¥63.8

$12.57 MX$235

-23.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.02

$2.78 MX$51.9

-40.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.16

$1.43 MX$26.66

-34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 ¥11.70

$2.62 MX$48.90

-32.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.10

$2.14 MX$39.92

-42.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.37

$2.02 MX$37.79

-59.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ¥3.80

$1.99 MX$37.14

-71.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.13

$1.14 MX$21.24

-45.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.93

$1.20 MX$22.42

-38.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 ¥24.17

$4.26 MX$79.6

-14.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.60 ¥90.5

$10.02 MX$187

35.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ¥7.10

$1.54 MX$28.72

-30.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ¥16.16

$2.66 MX$49.71

-8.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.90

$0.53 MX$9.84

-45.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.61 ¥117

$27.51 MX$514

-35.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ¥7.19

$4.90 MX$91.6

-77.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.17

$3.43 MX$64.2

-90.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 ¥41.37

$5.38 MX$100

15.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.83

$1.45 MX$27.05

-18.62%

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

$19.6K ¥130.6K

$21.2K MX$395.3K

-7.27%

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

$17.0K ¥113.3K

$23.0K MX$430.0K

-26.05%

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

$95.7 ¥637

$85.4 MX$1,595

12.10%

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

$6.22 ¥41.40

$23.46 MX$438

-73.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.68 ¥51.1

$28.43 MX$531

-72.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.01 ¥280

$62.2 MX$1,162

-32.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.20 ¥101

$28.68 MX$536

-47.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.30 ¥48.57

$5.10 MX$95.4

43.14%

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

$342 ¥2,275

$201 MX$3,756

69.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,321 ¥35.4K

$3,947 MX$73.7K

34.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.73 ¥298

$44.39 MX$829

0.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.35 ¥189

$41.35 MX$773

-31.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 ¥643

$72.7 MX$1,359

32.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 ¥399

$89.6 MX$1,674

-33.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 ¥1,954

$979 MX$18.3K

-70.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 ¥1,214

$373 MX$6,963

-51.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,142

$1,681 MX$31.4K

-62.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 ¥2,523

$1,095 MX$20.5K

-65.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,446 ¥22.9K

$3,949 MX$73.8K

-12.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,966 ¥13.1K

$6,137 MX$114.6K

-67.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 ¥2,544

$738 MX$13.8K

-48.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.54

11.45

-69.08%

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

Last update for Zhangjiakou: October 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Zhangjiakou

$214 27.6%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5% 20.7% $44

Accommodation & Living

Zhangjiakou

$182 23.5%

Playa del Carmen

$373 31% 104% $190

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zhangjiakou

$110 14.1%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 25.2% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Zhangjiakou

$103 13.3%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 8% $8.3

Eating Out

Zhangjiakou

$88 11.4%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6% 126% $112

Sport & Entertainment

Zhangjiakou

$57 7.3%

Playa del Carmen

$72 6% 27.9% $16

Getting Around

Zhangjiakou

$21 2.8%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3% 141% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $294 in Zhangjiakou versus $979 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 93% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Zhangjiakou versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $258 – making Zhangjiakou the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Zhangjiakou

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

04:12 4:12 AM

15:12 3:12 PM

13 h behind Zhangjiakou

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,345,491

149,923

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 EUR

100 MXN = 5.35 USD

100 MXN = 4.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 6.66 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.45 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 18.68 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.92 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Zhangjiakou Playa del Carmen 12,820 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Zhangjiakou
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 55%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,164 per month in Zhangjiakou and $1,806 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 Zhangjiakou, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $294 there versus $979 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $776 in Zhangjiakou and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a gap of about 55%.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Zhangjiakou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhangjiakou, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Zhangjiakou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $776 in Zhangjiakou to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Zhangjiakou. 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.