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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,119 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,029 per month in Zhubei City vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,940 per month in Zhubei City vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zhubei City is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zhubei City and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zhubei City 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 NT$156

$11.73 MX$203

-57.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 NT$1,079

$41.62 MX$721

-17.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 NT$179

$10.64 MX$184

-46.71%

Cappuccino

$3.70 NT$117

$3.52 MX$61.0

5.11%

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

$0.98 NT$30.98

$1.51 MX$26.17

-35.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 NT$19.84

$0.97 MX$16.87

-35.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 NT$71.3

$2.95 MX$51.1

-23.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 NT$84.9

$4.45 MX$77.2

-39.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.25 NT$102

$1.38 MX$23.97

135.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NT$62.8

$1.89 MX$32.78

5.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 NT$137

$1.64 MX$28.37

164.63%

Eggs

$3.02 NT$95.0

$2.51 MX$43.42

20.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 NT$433

$8.34 MX$145

64.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 NT$275

$8.34 MX$145

4.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.81 NT$876

$10.73 MX$186

159.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 NT$138

$2.60 MX$45.12

68.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 NT$81.2

$1.46 MX$25.25

76.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 NT$87.5

$1.90 MX$32.94

46.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 NT$124

$2.08 MX$35.98

89.90%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 NT$127

$1.78 MX$30.77

125.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 NT$79.9

$2.19 MX$37.87

15.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 NT$83.4

$1.04 MX$18.02

154.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NT$43.65

$1.08 MX$18.66

28.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 NT$131

$4.08 MX$70.7

2.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 NT$288

$10.32 MX$179

-11.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 NT$49.58

$1.71 MX$29.67

-8.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 NT$85.0

$2.58 MX$44.63

4.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$20.40

$0.51 MX$8.83

27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.26 NT$1,205

$26.46 MX$459

44.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 NT$107

$3.26 MX$56.5

4.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 NT$19.78

$2.49 MX$43.17

-74.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 NT$321

$3.25 MX$56.3

213.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.42

$1.31 MX$22.65

-21.37%

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

$41.8K NT$1.3M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

38.18%

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

$27.2K NT$856.5K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

16.02%

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

$93.0 NT$2,930

$82.9 MX$1,436

12.22%

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

$33.79 NT$1,064

$22.22 MX$385

52.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.60 NT$775

$29.34 MX$508

-16.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.24 NT$1,079

$51.6 MX$895

-33.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 NT$481

$18.32 MX$317

-16.65%

Cinema Ticket

$11.76 NT$370

$5.07 MX$87.8

131.95%

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

$690 NT$21.7K

$201 MX$3,480

243.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K NT$479.7K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

192.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.4 NT$2,690

$36.92 MX$640

131.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.83 NT$1,507

$39.79 MX$689

20.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 NT$3,147

$78.5 MX$1,360

27.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 NT$3,617

$87.1 MX$1,509

31.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 NT$13.4K

$973 MX$16.9K

-56.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 NT$6,690

$468 MX$8,105

-54.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 NT$37.2K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-28.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 NT$27.2K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-29.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.8K NT$528.0K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

324.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,937 NT$313.1K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

52.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,432 NT$76.6K

$664 MX$11.5K

266.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

11.42

-78.98%

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

Last update for Zhubei City: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Zhubei 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 266% higher in Zhubei 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 $34.00 in Zhubei City versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $394 in Zhubei 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,678 per month in Zhubei 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 Zhubei 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 $1,119 in Zhubei 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 45% less in Zhubei City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhubei City, where all-in costs run around $1,119, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Zhubei 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 Zhubei 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 Zhubei 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.