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: $1,292 in Cheongju versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,908 in Cheongju versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,524 in Cheongju versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cheongju is roughly 3% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cheongju 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 ₩10.7K

$11.99 MX$210

-39.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.04 ₩55.1K

$41.78 MX$733

-11.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ₩7,086

$10.75 MX$189

-55.72%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩6,296

$3.50 MX$61.3

20.86%

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

$1.88 ₩2,796

$1.45 MX$25.41

29.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₩2,065

$0.88 MX$15.52

57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 ₩5,551

$2.95 MX$51.7

26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 ₩8,532

$4.51 MX$79.1

27.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ₩3,114

$1.43 MX$25.12

46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 ₩5,305

$1.84 MX$32.23

94.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 ₩2,666

$1.57 MX$27.51

14.01%

Eggs

$2.15 ₩3,200

$2.51 MX$44.06

-14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₩15.7K

$8.28 MX$145

27.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 ₩12.3K

$8.43 MX$148

-2.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 ₩21.6K

$10.68 MX$187

35.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,320

$2.61 MX$45.76

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 ₩4,284

$1.44 MX$25.22

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.47 ₩11.1K

$1.96 MX$34.41

281.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 ₩8,029

$2.09 MX$36.74

158.37%

Potato (1kg)

$5.23 ₩7,784

$1.85 MX$32.47

182.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,384

$2.17 MX$38.02

35.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₩2,998

$1.03 MX$18.09

95.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₩672

$1.07 MX$18.84

-57.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,889

$4.10 MX$72.0

-19.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.28 ₩19.8K

$10.17 MX$178

30.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₩2,523

$1.68 MX$29.38

1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₩3,346

$2.53 MX$44.31

-11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 ₩1,798

$0.51 MX$8.93

137.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 ₩108.3K

$26.04 MX$457

179.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₩3,863

$3.23 MX$56.7

-19.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,166

$2.41 MX$42.19

-67.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.21 ₩24.1K

$3.23 MX$56.6

401.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,798

$1.32 MX$23.17

-8.33%

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

$27.7K ₩41.3M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-6.59%

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

$25.3K ₩37.7M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

7.03%

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

$191 ₩283.9K

$82.0 MX$1,439

132.63%

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

$24.48 ₩36.4K

$22.95 MX$403

6.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 ₩22.2K

$30.11 MX$528

-50.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ₩93.0K

$52.0 MX$912

20.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.67 ₩50.1K

$18.53 MX$325

81.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 ₩10.7K

$4.98 MX$87.3

44.58%

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

$491 ₩730.3K

$197 MX$3,463

148.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ₩21.4M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

169.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.11 ₩55.2K

$35.60 MX$624

4.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.40 ₩72.0K

$40.33 MX$707

20.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₩133.8K

$78.8 MX$1,381

14.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₩161.5K

$88.9 MX$1,560

22.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 ₩449.9K

$947 MX$16.6K

-68.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ₩349.5K

$474 MX$8,314

-50.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ₩617.5K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-74.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 ₩452.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-74.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,336 ₩12.4M

$4,056 MX$71.1K

105.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,224 ₩7.8M

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-19.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 ₩3.5M

$654 MX$11.5K

263.13%

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 Cheongju: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Cheongju and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 263% 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: $37.00 in Cheongju vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Cheongju. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 263% 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: $302 in Cheongju versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,292 per month in Cheongju versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 180% less than in Cheongju. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,292 in Cheongju, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cheongju. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,256 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Cheongju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.