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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Cheongju versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,049 in Cheongju versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,905 in Cheongju versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cheongju costs roughly 9% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cheongju 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.25 ₩9,721

$11.96 MX$203

-39.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.69 ₩64.0K

$47.38 MX$804

0.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ₩7,761

$11.75 MX$199

-50.72%

Cappuccino

$3.61 ₩4,836

$4.12 MX$70.0

-12.38%

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

$1.77 ₩2,368

$1.40 MX$23.74

26.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₩1,846

$0.91 MX$15.48

51.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.82 ₩5,126

$3.21 MX$54.4

19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 ₩5,697

$7.07 MX$120

-39.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₩2,761

$1.68 MX$28.44

22.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 ₩4,262

$2.15 MX$36.48

47.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 ₩2,421

$1.77 MX$30.10

2.26%

Eggs

$2.18 ₩2,923

$2.82 MX$47.76

-22.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₩14.4K

$9.20 MX$156

16.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 ₩14.1K

$9.23 MX$157

13.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 ₩19.7K

$12.64 MX$214

16.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,077

$2.95 MX$50.1

3.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 ₩3,905

$1.58 MX$26.79

84.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.59 ₩10.2K

$2.22 MX$37.70

241.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 ₩7,814

$2.36 MX$40.09

147.03%

Potato (1kg)

$5.90 ₩7,914

$1.99 MX$33.81

196.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 ₩4,568

$1.98 MX$33.58

72.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 ₩3,669

$1.24 MX$21.04

120.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩626

$1.21 MX$20.55

-61.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩4,401

$4.60 MX$78.1

-28.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.65 ₩19.7K

$10.52 MX$178

39.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₩2,560

$1.69 MX$28.70

13.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,054

$2.77 MX$47.06

-17.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,509

$0.60 MX$10.22

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ₩3,637

$5.24 MX$88.8

-48.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₩969

$3.65 MX$61.9

-80.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.66 ₩22.3K

$5.78 MX$98.1

188.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₩1,755

$1.54 MX$26.09

-14.94%

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

$28.8K ₩38.7M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

26.42%

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

$34.1K ₩45.7M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

31.96%

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

$198 ₩265.2K

$90.7 MX$1,538

118.10%

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

$24.13 ₩32.4K

$25.19 MX$427

-4.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.98 ₩20.1K

$31.75 MX$539

-52.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ₩73.6K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-20.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.05 ₩16.2K

$29.37 MX$498

-58.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₩10.1K

$4.86 MX$82.5

55.76%

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

$631 ₩845.9K

$226 MX$3,828

179.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K ₩29.1M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

416.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.58 ₩50.4K

$47.38 MX$804

-20.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 ₩88.5K

$43.45 MX$737

51.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 ₩124.7K

$80.2 MX$1,361

15.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₩151.7K

$91.4 MX$1,550

23.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ₩370.2K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-74.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 ₩284.8K

$409 MX$6,933

-48.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 ₩1.5M

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-42.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 ₩966.7K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-43.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,052 ₩9.5M

$4,046 MX$68.6K

74.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,477 ₩7.3M

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-18.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,630 ₩3.5M

$773 MX$13.1K

240.04%

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 Cheongju: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Cheongju and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 240% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Cheongju vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheongju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 240% higher in Cheongju, 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: $276 in Cheongju versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $631 in Cheongju versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cheongju – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,192 in Cheongju versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheongju but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cheongju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cheongju delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,192 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cheongju hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cheongju 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 Cheongju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.