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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,541 per month in Daegu vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,321 per month in Daegu vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,102 per month in Daegu vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Daegu costs about 19% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Daegu sits 12% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 ₩12.7K

$11.71 MX$199

-19.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.70 ₩49.9K

$46.59 MX$791

-21.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 ₩7,490

$11.65 MX$198

-52.70%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,280

$4.09 MX$69.5

-5.13%

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

$1.61 ₩2,183

$1.37 MX$23.34

17.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,122

$0.83 MX$14.16

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ₩4,839

$3.35 MX$56.9

6.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.25 ₩7,143

$6.91 MX$117

-24.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₩3,199

$1.73 MX$29.33

35.84%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 ₩6,063

$2.26 MX$38.39

97.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 ₩3,553

$1.77 MX$30.05

47.46%

Eggs

$2.79 ₩3,789

$2.73 MX$46.41

2.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 ₩13.1K

$9.18 MX$156

5.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 ₩9,434

$8.92 MX$151

-22.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.85 ₩28.3K

$12.60 MX$214

65.48%

Apples (1kg)

$6.39 ₩8,693

$3.02 MX$51.3

111.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 ₩3,679

$1.57 MX$26.68

72.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.50 ₩7,473

$2.13 MX$36.10

158.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.57 ₩7,572

$2.26 MX$38.46

146.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 ₩3,475

$2.00 MX$34.04

28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 ₩2,819

$2.06 MX$35.06

0.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.25 ₩5,778

$1.18 MX$20.04

260.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₩1,758

$1.20 MX$20.45

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₩4,022

$4.63 MX$78.7

-36.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 ₩19.8K

$10.69 MX$182

36.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₩2,850

$1.62 MX$27.50

29.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,242

$2.88 MX$48.93

-17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,515

$0.57 MX$9.74

94.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.8 ₩97.5K

$29.83 MX$507

140.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 ₩4,172

$5.45 MX$92.5

-43.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩764

$3.70 MX$62.9

-84.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 ₩10.8K

$5.98 MX$102

32.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ₩1,772

$1.55 MX$26.38

-16.13%

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

$28.1K ₩38.2M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

25.87%

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

$40.6K ₩55.3M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

56.63%

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

$264 ₩359.2K

$89.1 MX$1,514

196.50%

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

$48.58 ₩66.0K

$25.04 MX$425

94.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.90 ₩54.2K

$31.50 MX$535

26.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.43 ₩67.2K

$67.8 MX$1,151

-27.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.86 ₩16.1K

$28.92 MX$491

-58.99%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 ₩14.9K

$5.05 MX$85.8

117.62%

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

$510 ₩692.7K

$225 MX$3,820

126.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K ₩37.5M

$4,222 MX$71.7K

553.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₩73.3K

$47.44 MX$806

13.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 ₩68.2K

$44.98 MX$764

11.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 ₩127.7K

$82.0 MX$1,392

14.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 ₩219.3K

$92.1 MX$1,564

75.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₩546.7K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-62.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₩362.6K

$405 MX$6,884

-34.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 ₩1.4M

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-47.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 ₩815.9K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-53.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,006 ₩9.5M

$3,995 MX$67.9K

75.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,543 ₩7.5M

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-16.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,423 ₩3.3M

$749 MX$12.7K

223.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.07

11.45

-55.72%

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

Last update for Daegu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $402 in Daegu 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 224% higher in Daegu, 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 $37.00 in Daegu versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $403 in Daegu 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,541 in Daegu, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 19% apart. Daegu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,311 per month in Daegu 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Daegu and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,541 in Daegu and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Daegu at $1,541. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Daegu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,293 in Playa del Carmen to $1,541 in Daegu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Daegu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.