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 $1,140 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,070 per month in Zhubei City vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,001 per month in Zhubei City vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zhubei City is about 9% 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 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 NT$168

$11.99 MX$210

-56.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.12 NT$1,103

$41.78 MX$733

-18.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 NT$184

$10.75 MX$189

-47.16%

Cappuccino

$3.56 NT$115

$3.50 MX$61.3

1.71%

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

$0.91 NT$29.25

$1.45 MX$25.41

-37.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 NT$20.04

$0.88 MX$15.52

-29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 NT$72.2

$2.95 MX$51.7

-24.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 NT$89.0

$4.51 MX$79.1

-38.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 NT$101

$1.43 MX$25.12

117.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 NT$66.5

$1.84 MX$32.23

11.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 NT$140

$1.57 MX$27.51

176.43%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$94.0

$2.51 MX$44.06

15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 NT$447

$8.28 MX$145

67.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 NT$273

$8.43 MX$148

0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.32 NT$915

$10.68 MX$187

165.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 NT$140

$2.61 MX$45.76

66.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NT$85.1

$1.44 MX$25.22

82.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 NT$88.1

$1.96 MX$34.41

39.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 NT$126

$2.09 MX$36.74

87.08%

Potato (1kg)

$4.04 NT$131

$1.85 MX$32.47

118.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 NT$81.7

$2.17 MX$38.02

16.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 NT$85.4

$1.03 MX$18.09

156.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.84

$1.07 MX$18.84

24.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 NT$128

$4.10 MX$72.0

-3.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 NT$282

$10.17 MX$178

-14.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 NT$50.7

$1.68 MX$29.38

-6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NT$91.5

$2.53 MX$44.31

11.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$21.03

$0.51 MX$8.93

27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.36 NT$1,272

$26.04 MX$457

51.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 NT$108

$3.23 MX$56.7

3.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 NT$18.90

$2.41 MX$42.19

-75.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NT$324

$3.23 MX$56.6

210.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$34.55

$1.32 MX$23.17

-18.94%

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

$40.9K NT$1.3M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

37.80%

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

$27.3K NT$880.5K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

15.16%

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

$91.7 NT$2,963

$82.0 MX$1,439

11.80%

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

$33.73 NT$1,090

$22.95 MX$403

46.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.46 NT$790

$30.11 MX$528

-18.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.75 NT$1,091

$52.0 MX$912

-35.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.19 NT$491

$18.53 MX$325

-18.02%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 NT$377

$4.98 MX$87.3

134.54%

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

$703 NT$22.7K

$197 MX$3,463

256.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K NT$501.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

190.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 NT$2,727

$35.60 MX$624

137.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.17 NT$1,524

$40.33 MX$707

16.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NT$3,255

$78.8 MX$1,381

27.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 NT$3,670

$88.9 MX$1,560

27.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 NT$14.1K

$947 MX$16.6K

-53.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 NT$6,842

$474 MX$8,314

-55.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 NT$38.8K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-26.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 NT$27.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-29.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.4K NT$528.3K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

303.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,443 NT$305.1K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

45.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,391 NT$77.2K

$654 MX$11.5K

265.58%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Zhubei City versus $947 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 – $392 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 10%, 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 $1,710 per month in Zhubei City and $1,884 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 $1,140 in Zhubei City and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% 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 $1,140, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.