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 $1,274 per month in Cheonan vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,957 per month in Cheonan vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,640 per month in Cheonan vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cheonan is about 2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cheonan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cheonan 5% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.71 ₩8,745

$11.73 MX$203

-51.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.99 ₩33.7K

$41.62 MX$721

-47.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ₩7,420

$10.64 MX$184

-54.51%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ₩3,283

$3.52 MX$61.0

-39.20%

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

$1.20 ₩1,845

$1.51 MX$26.17

-20.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₩735

$0.97 MX$16.87

-50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ₩3,900

$2.95 MX$51.1

-13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ₩5,696

$4.45 MX$77.2

-16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,295

$1.38 MX$23.97

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 ₩5,387

$1.89 MX$32.78

86.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,644

$1.64 MX$28.37

84.76%

Eggs

$1.73 ₩2,647

$2.51 MX$43.42

-31.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ₩16.2K

$8.34 MX$145

27.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 ₩12.8K

$8.34 MX$145

-0.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 ₩18.3K

$10.73 MX$186

11.56%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 ₩11.2K

$2.60 MX$45.12

181.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,825

$1.46 MX$25.25

71.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.57 ₩8,541

$1.90 MX$32.94

193.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 ₩8,144

$2.08 MX$35.98

155.29%

Potato (1kg)

$4.99 ₩7,651

$1.78 MX$30.77

180.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,527

$2.19 MX$37.87

34.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₩1,411

$1.04 MX$18.02

-11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₩1,619

$1.08 MX$18.66

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩5,034

$4.08 MX$70.7

-19.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.68 ₩25.6K

$10.32 MX$179

61.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₩2,709

$1.71 MX$29.67

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₩2,296

$2.58 MX$44.63

-41.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,712

$0.51 MX$8.83

119.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 ₩4,528

$3.26 MX$56.5

-9.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,289

$2.49 MX$43.17

-66.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.77 ₩25.7K

$3.25 MX$56.3

416.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,780

$1.31 MX$22.65

-11.45%

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

$27.8K ₩42.5M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-8.29%

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

$25.3K ₩38.7M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

7.87%

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

$141 ₩215.5K

$82.9 MX$1,436

69.71%

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

$50.6 ₩77.5K

$22.22 MX$385

127.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.97 ₩15.3K

$29.34 MX$508

-66.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.28 ₩74.0K

$51.6 MX$895

-6.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₩11.6K

$5.07 MX$87.8

49.31%

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

$492 ₩754.0K

$201 MX$3,480

145.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₩21.6M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

170.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₩156.0K

$36.92 MX$640

175.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.01 ₩73.6K

$39.79 MX$689

20.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ₩113.7K

$78.5 MX$1,360

-5.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ₩168.5K

$87.1 MX$1,509

26.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ₩693.8K

$973 MX$16.9K

-53.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₩578.7K

$468 MX$8,105

-19.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₩1.6M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-34.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₩1.2M

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-36.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,773 ₩15.0M

$3,946 MX$68.4K

147.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,779 ₩8.9M

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-11.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,579 ₩2.4M

$664 MX$11.5K

137.80%

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 Cheonan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in Cheonan 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 138% higher in Cheonan, 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 $22.00 in Cheonan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $362 in Cheonan 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Cheonan, 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 $1,910 per month in Cheonan 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 Cheonan, 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 $1,274 in Cheonan and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $492 per month in Cheonan and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cheonan, where all-in costs run around $1,274, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Cheonan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cheonan costs $1,274 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Cheonan. 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.