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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,403 per month in Cheonan vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Cheonan vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,005 per month in Cheonan vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cheonan costs about 8% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cheonan sits 2% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 ₩9,982

$11.71 MX$198

-37.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.53 ₩29.2K

$46.59 MX$788

-53.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 ₩5,692

$11.65 MX$197

-63.95%

Cappuccino

$1.47 ₩1,994

$4.09 MX$69.2

-64.06%

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

$1.14 ₩1,544

$1.37 MX$23.23

-16.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₩1,830

$0.83 MX$14.09

62.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 ₩2,986

$3.35 MX$56.7

-34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ₩5,704

$6.91 MX$117

-39.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₩2,104

$1.73 MX$29.20

-10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₩4,285

$2.26 MX$38.21

39.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,042

$1.77 MX$29.91

68.36%

Eggs

$2.59 ₩3,516

$2.73 MX$46.19

-5.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 ₩14.5K

$9.18 MX$155

16.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 ₩13.7K

$8.92 MX$151

13.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.13 ₩32.7K

$12.60 MX$213

91.51%

Apples (1kg)

$10.67 ₩14.5K

$3.02 MX$51.1

253.31%

Banana (1kg)

$3.51 ₩4,757

$1.57 MX$26.55

123.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.99 ₩10.8K

$2.13 MX$35.93

275.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 ₩7,586

$2.26 MX$38.28

147.79%

Potato (1kg)

$5.71 ₩7,741

$2.00 MX$33.88

185.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,263

$2.06 MX$34.90

52.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 ₩3,780

$1.18 MX$19.94

136.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₩1,771

$1.20 MX$20.35

9.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₩4,425

$4.63 MX$78.4

-29.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 ₩24.1K

$10.69 MX$181

65.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₩3,242

$1.62 MX$27.38

47.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,570

$2.88 MX$48.70

17.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,485

$0.57 MX$9.69

92.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 ₩3,904

$5.45 MX$92.1

-47.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 ₩1,017

$3.70 MX$62.6

-79.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.10 ₩21.8K

$5.98 MX$101

169.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₩1,604

$1.55 MX$26.26

-23.87%

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

$28.9K ₩39.2M

$22.3K MX$377.4K

29.45%

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

$32.8K ₩44.5M

$25.9K MX$438.7K

26.38%

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

$191 ₩259.2K

$89.1 MX$1,507

114.47%

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

$34.82 ₩47.2K

$25.04 MX$423

39.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.91 ₩35.1K

$31.50 MX$532

-17.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ₩74.5K

$67.8 MX$1,146

-18.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₩15.8K

$28.92 MX$489

-59.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 ₩15.8K

$5.05 MX$85.4

130.50%

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

$611 ₩828.3K

$225 MX$3,803

171.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ₩28.1M

$4,222 MX$71.4K

390.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 ₩90.0K

$47.44 MX$802

39.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 ₩78.9K

$44.98 MX$760

29.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ₩122.8K

$82.0 MX$1,386

10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 ₩169.9K

$92.1 MX$1,557

36.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 ₩577.5K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-60.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ₩462.6K

$405 MX$6,852

-15.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 ₩1.5M

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-42.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₩954.6K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-45.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,494 ₩10.2M

$3,995 MX$67.5K

87.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,453 ₩7.4M

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-17.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,755 ₩2.4M

$749 MX$12.7K

134.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

11.45

-63.14%

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

Last update for Cheonan: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Cheonan 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 134% higher in Cheonan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Cheonan versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $463 in Cheonan 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

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

Cheonan costs about 8% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,104 per month in Cheonan 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,403 in Cheonan and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $611 per month in Cheonan and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Cheonan at $1,403. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheonan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $1,403 in Cheonan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cheonan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.