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 $1,064 per month in Zhongli City vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,807 per month in Zhongli City vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,549 per month in Zhongli City vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zhongli City is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zhongli City and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zhongli City 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 NT$161

$11.73 MX$203

-56.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.62 NT$649

$41.62 MX$720

-50.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 NT$147

$10.64 MX$184

-56.11%

Cappuccino

$2.50 NT$78.7

$3.52 MX$60.9

-28.98%

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

$0.79 NT$24.94

$1.51 MX$26.12

-47.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 NT$19.00

$0.97 MX$16.84

-38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 NT$46.30

$2.95 MX$51.0

-50.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 NT$46.86

$4.45 MX$77.0

-66.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.43 NT$108

$1.38 MX$23.93

148.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 NT$55.9

$1.89 MX$32.72

-6.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 NT$89.6

$1.64 MX$28.32

73.78%

Eggs

$2.60 NT$81.7

$2.51 MX$43.34

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.63 NT$996

$8.34 MX$144

279.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 NT$257

$8.34 MX$144

-2.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 NT$501

$10.73 MX$186

48.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 NT$143

$2.60 MX$45.04

74.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 NT$57.5

$1.46 MX$25.20

25.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 NT$72.3

$1.90 MX$32.87

21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 NT$92.7

$2.08 MX$35.91

41.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 NT$42.32

$1.78 MX$30.71

-24.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 NT$60.9

$2.19 MX$37.80

-11.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 NT$72.3

$1.04 MX$17.99

121.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 NT$40.50

$1.08 MX$18.62

19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$130

$4.08 MX$70.6

1.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.03 NT$505

$10.32 MX$178

55.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 NT$52.2

$1.71 MX$29.61

-2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 NT$73.5

$2.58 MX$44.54

-9.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 NT$19.70

$0.51 MX$8.81

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.79 NT$1,284

$26.46 MX$458

54.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 NT$88.5

$3.26 MX$56.4

-13.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 NT$22.74

$2.49 MX$43.09

-71.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NT$316

$3.25 MX$56.2

208.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 NT$30.73

$1.31 MX$22.61

-25.19%

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

$34.2K NT$1.1M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

12.98%

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

$25.4K NT$799.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

8.44%

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

$95.4 NT$3,002

$82.9 MX$1,433

15.08%

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

$13.49 NT$425

$22.22 MX$384

-39.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.23 NT$322

$29.34 MX$507

-65.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.35 NT$1,176

$51.6 MX$893

-27.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 NT$474

$18.32 MX$317

-17.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.56 NT$301

$5.07 MX$87.6

88.56%

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

$357 NT$11.2K

$201 MX$3,473

77.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NT$659.8K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

302.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 NT$1,946

$36.92 MX$639

67.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.07 NT$632

$39.79 MX$688

-49.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 NT$2,537

$78.5 MX$1,357

2.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.7 NT$2,099

$87.1 MX$1,506

-23.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 NT$13.6K

$973 MX$16.8K

-55.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 NT$8,067

$468 MX$8,090

-45.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 NT$32.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-36.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$741 NT$23.3K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-39.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,372 NT$74.7K

$664 MX$11.5K

257.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

11.42

-81.61%

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

Last update for Zhongli City: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $431 in Zhongli City versus $973 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 257% 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 $21.00 in Zhongli City versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Zhongli City vs $249 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 22%, 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 $1,596 per month in Zhongli City and $1,945 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 $1,064 in Zhongli City and $1,297 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 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 $1,064, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.