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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $726 per month in Zhangzhou vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,131 per month in Zhangzhou vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,535 per month in Zhangzhou vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zhangzhou is about 42% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zhangzhou and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zhangzhou 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.36

$11.95 MX$208

-76.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.75 ¥147

$41.94 MX$730

-48.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ¥33.40

$10.42 MX$181

-52.69%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ¥20.27

$3.51 MX$61.2

-14.81%

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

$0.47 ¥3.18

$1.52 MX$26.39

-69.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.91 MX$15.84

-68.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ¥6.43

$3.04 MX$52.9

-68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.87

$4.37 MX$76.1

-53.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.19

$1.42 MX$24.73

26.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ¥10.61

$1.83 MX$31.87

-14.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.49

$1.63 MX$28.45

-41.10%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.45

$2.54 MX$44.20

-39.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 ¥87.3

$8.57 MX$149

50.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ¥22.03

$8.49 MX$148

-61.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 ¥68.7

$10.80 MX$188

-6.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.24

$2.75 MX$47.94

-34.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.24

$1.44 MX$25.00

-15.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.97

$1.89 MX$32.83

-22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.67

$2.17 MX$37.77

-47.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.73

$1.78 MX$30.97

-60.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.07

$2.22 MX$38.71

-59.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$1.07 MX$18.60

-46.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.69

$1.08 MX$18.79

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ¥21.30

$4.15 MX$72.2

-24.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 ¥71.8

$10.45 MX$182

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.40

$1.74 MX$30.34

-54.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.10

$2.58 MX$44.92

-36.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.51 MX$8.94

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.54 ¥112

$25.94 MX$451

-36.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.23

$3.21 MX$55.9

-57.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.23

$2.50 MX$43.55

-86.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.80 ¥46.03

$3.19 MX$55.4

113.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.89

$1.26 MX$21.87

-7.94%

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

$19.6K ¥132.7K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

-33.99%

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

$17.1K ¥116.1K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

-27.61%

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

$44.85 ¥304

$82.0 MX$1,427

-45.32%

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

$10.09 ¥68.4

$22.73 MX$395

-55.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.80 ¥79.9

$29.42 MX$512

-59.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.11 ¥278

$52.2 MX$908

-21.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$18.45 MX$321

-24.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 ¥40.53

$4.93 MX$85.9

21.50%

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

$334 ¥2,262

$202 MX$3,511

65.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ¥113.3K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

220.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.31 ¥300

$35.93 MX$625

23.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.93 ¥203

$40.33 MX$702

-25.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 ¥483

$79.9 MX$1,390

-10.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ¥496

$89.3 MX$1,554

-17.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ¥1,915

$948 MX$16.5K

-70.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 ¥1,286

$465 MX$8,097

-59.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 ¥3,975

$1,630 MX$28.4K

-63.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ¥2,421

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-70.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,012 ¥20.4K

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-23.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,010 ¥13.6K

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-68.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

11.42

-65.94%

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

Last update for Zhangzhou: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Zhangzhou versus $948 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 $22.00 in Zhangzhou versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $252 – making Zhangzhou 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,089 per month in Zhangzhou and $1,888 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 Zhangzhou, 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 $726 in Zhangzhou and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Zhangzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhangzhou, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Zhangzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhangzhou – 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 Zhangzhou. 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.