Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,492 in Changwon versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Changwon versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,119 in Changwon versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Changwon is roughly 15% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Changwon is 11% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 ₩10.9K

$11.73 MX$203

-38.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.41 ₩41.5K

$41.62 MX$720

-34.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 ₩7,648

$10.64 MX$184

-52.54%

Cappuccino

$3.58 ₩5,419

$3.52 MX$60.9

1.70%

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

$1.80 ₩2,728

$1.51 MX$26.12

19.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₩1,520

$0.97 MX$16.84

3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 ₩4,413

$2.95 MX$51.0

-1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 ₩6,569

$4.45 MX$77.0

-2.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 ₩3,588

$1.38 MX$23.93

71.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 ₩5,261

$1.89 MX$32.72

83.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,589

$1.64 MX$28.32

84.76%

Eggs

$2.87 ₩4,342

$2.51 MX$43.34

14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 ₩15.7K

$8.34 MX$144

24.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 ₩12.2K

$8.34 MX$144

-3.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.30 ₩41.4K

$10.73 MX$186

154.43%

Apples (1kg)

$8.50 ₩12.9K

$2.60 MX$45.04

226.92%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 ₩4,818

$1.46 MX$25.20

117.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.37 ₩11.2K

$1.90 MX$32.87

287.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.24 ₩7,935

$2.08 MX$35.91

151.92%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,838

$1.78 MX$30.71

190.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 ₩4,481

$2.19 MX$37.80

35.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,054

$1.04 MX$17.99

94.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,744

$1.08 MX$18.62

6.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩5,056

$4.08 MX$70.6

-18.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.44 ₩24.9K

$10.32 MX$178

59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₩2,531

$1.71 MX$29.61

-2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩5,083

$2.58 MX$44.54

29.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,643

$0.51 MX$8.81

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 ₩4,142

$3.26 MX$56.4

-16.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₩1,225

$2.49 MX$43.09

-67.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.50 ₩25.0K

$3.25 MX$56.2

407.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,762

$1.31 MX$22.61

-11.45%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-6.68%

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

$24.8K ₩37.6M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

5.90%

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

$188 ₩284.5K

$82.9 MX$1,433

126.58%

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

$50.2 ₩76.1K

$22.22 MX$384

126.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.31 ₩41.4K

$29.34 MX$507

-6.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 ₩77.5K

$51.6 MX$893

-0.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 ₩17.0K

$5.07 MX$87.6

121.10%

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

$486 ₩736.0K

$201 MX$3,473

141.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.5M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

171.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩157.7K

$36.92 MX$639

181.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.44 ₩73.4K

$39.79 MX$688

21.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 ₩135.4K

$78.5 MX$1,357

13.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩178.4K

$87.1 MX$1,506

35.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₩681.9K

$973 MX$16.8K

-53.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₩573.4K

$468 MX$8,090

-19.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 ₩1.6M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-35.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 ₩1.2M

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-36.54%

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)

$1,479 ₩2.2M

$664 MX$11.5K

122.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

11.42

-63.05%

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

Last update for Changwon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Changwon and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changwon pays 123% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Changwon vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $444 vs $249, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Changwon and Playa del Carmen differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,492 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Changwon pays 123% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $450 in Changwon versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Changwon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,492 per month in Changwon versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,492 in Changwon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Changwon. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Changwon and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Changwon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.