Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhongli City and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhongli City and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $983 per month in Zhongli City vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,658 per month in Zhongli City vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,333 per month in Zhongli City vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zhongli City is about 24% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zhongli City and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zhongli City 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 NT$151

$11.71 MX$199

-59.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.41 NT$997

$46.59 MX$791

-32.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 NT$149

$11.65 MX$198

-59.74%

Cappuccino

$2.49 NT$78.9

$4.09 MX$69.5

-39.12%

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

$0.99 NT$31.26

$1.37 MX$23.34

-27.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NT$23.36

$0.83 MX$14.16

-10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 NT$48.80

$3.35 MX$56.9

-54.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 NT$91.0

$6.91 MX$117

-58.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.33 NT$106

$1.73 MX$29.33

92.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.5

$2.26 MX$38.39

-22.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 NT$87.2

$1.77 MX$30.05

55.37%

Eggs

$2.52 NT$79.9

$2.73 MX$46.41

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.79 NT$406

$9.18 MX$156

39.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 NT$217

$8.92 MX$151

-23.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 NT$503

$12.60 MX$214

25.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 NT$121

$3.02 MX$51.3

26.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 NT$60.0

$1.57 MX$26.68

20.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 NT$56.4

$2.13 MX$36.10

-16.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NT$69.2

$2.26 MX$38.46

-3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 NT$39.71

$2.00 MX$34.04

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NT$62.7

$2.06 MX$35.06

-3.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NT$75.0

$1.18 MX$20.04

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.46

$1.20 MX$20.45

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 NT$125

$4.63 MX$78.7

-14.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 NT$500

$10.69 MX$182

47.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 NT$51.4

$1.62 MX$27.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 NT$78.1

$2.88 MX$48.93

-14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 NT$19.13

$0.57 MX$9.74

5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.18 NT$1,211

$29.83 MX$507

27.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NT$86.5

$5.45 MX$92.5

-49.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 NT$18.05

$3.70 MX$62.9

-84.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.38 NT$298

$5.98 MX$102

56.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.39

$1.55 MX$26.38

-34.19%

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

$33.4K NT$1.1M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

49.53%

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

$23.4K NT$741.2K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-9.97%

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

$103 NT$3,268

$89.1 MX$1,514

15.56%

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

$14.94 NT$474

$25.04 MX$425

-40.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.68 NT$561

$31.50 MX$535

-43.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$9.61 NT$305

$5.05 MX$85.8

90.30%

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

$341 NT$10.8K

$225 MX$3,820

51.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K NT$536.1K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

300.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 NT$2,194

$47.44 MX$806

45.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.57 NT$1,160

$44.98 MX$764

-18.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 NT$1,735

$82.0 MX$1,392

-33.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NT$3,473

$92.1 MX$1,564

18.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 NT$14.5K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-57.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 NT$7,986

$405 MX$6,884

-37.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 NT$28.8K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-53.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 NT$23.5K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-43.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,314 NT$73.4K

$749 MX$12.7K

209.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

11.45

-81.66%

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

Last update for Zhongli City: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $457 in Zhongli City versus $1,069 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 209% higher in Zhongli City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Zhongli City versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $313 in Zhongli City vs $277 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,474 per month in Zhongli City and $1,940 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 Zhongli City, 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 $983 in Zhongli City and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 28% less in Zhongli City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhongli City, where all-in costs run around $983, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Zhongli City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhongli City – 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 Zhongli City. 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.