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 $713 per month in Zhangzhou vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,143 per month in Zhangzhou vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,573 per month in Zhangzhou vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zhangzhou is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zhangzhou and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zhangzhou 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥19.49

$11.61 MX$201

-75.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.93 ¥150

$42.75 MX$742

-48.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥34.10

$10.60 MX$184

-52.92%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥21.02

$3.59 MX$62.3

-14.21%

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

$0.47 ¥3.21

$1.45 MX$25.21

-67.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.90 MX$15.58

-67.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.94

$3.03 MX$52.6

-71.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.67

$4.56 MX$79.2

-52.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ¥12.38

$1.45 MX$25.20

24.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.87

$1.83 MX$31.72

-13.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.47

$1.61 MX$27.92

-40.99%

Eggs

$1.59 ¥10.85

$2.54 MX$44.05

-37.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.72 ¥86.9

$8.54 MX$148

48.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 ¥22.06

$8.47 MX$147

-61.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.41 ¥71.1

$10.86 MX$189

-4.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.68

$2.73 MX$47.37

-31.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.64

$1.49 MX$25.91

-14.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.12

$1.94 MX$33.73

-23.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.78

$2.16 MX$37.57

-47.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.72

$1.85 MX$32.05

-62.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.65

$2.19 MX$38.00

-55.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ¥3.78

$1.07 MX$18.62

-48.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.76

$1.08 MX$18.81

-49.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ¥21.17

$4.06 MX$70.5

-23.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.77 ¥73.5

$10.46 MX$182

2.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥5.04

$1.65 MX$28.71

-55.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.81

$2.55 MX$44.23

-38.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥2.00

$0.56 MX$9.65

-48.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.96 ¥116

$26.20 MX$455

-35.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ¥9.22

$3.14 MX$54.5

-57.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.22

$2.37 MX$41.17

-86.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.71 ¥45.86

$3.24 MX$56.2

107.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.96

$1.31 MX$22.81

-10.69%

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

$19.4K ¥132.2K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-36.63%

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

$17.3K ¥117.8K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

-27.57%

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

$45.62 ¥312

$83.1 MX$1,443

-45.13%

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

$9.69 ¥66.2

$22.15 MX$385

-56.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.87 ¥81.1

$29.37 MX$510

-59.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.38 ¥283

$51.2 MX$889

-19.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.90 ¥94.9

$18.69 MX$324

-25.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 ¥39.36

$4.89 MX$84.9

17.79%

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

$337 ¥2,300

$199 MX$3,449

69.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥116.2K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

226.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.28 ¥296

$35.93 MX$624

20.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.84 ¥204

$39.39 MX$684

-24.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥492

$80.3 MX$1,394

-10.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ¥491

$87.6 MX$1,520

-17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 ¥1,881

$963 MX$16.7K

-71.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ¥1,328

$482 MX$8,370

-59.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 ¥4,087

$1,645 MX$28.6K

-63.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ¥2,414

$1,192 MX$20.7K

-70.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,044 ¥20.8K

$3,957 MX$68.7K

-23.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,003 ¥13.7K

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-69.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $275 in Zhangzhou 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Zhangzhou versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $253 – 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 77%, 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 $1,069 per month in Zhangzhou and $1,894 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 $713 in Zhangzhou and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $713, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. 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.