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 $1,362 per month in Daegu vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,159 per month in Daegu vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Daegu vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Daegu 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

$7.91 ₩11.8K

$11.99 MX$210

-34.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.84 ₩53.3K

$41.78 MX$733

-14.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 ₩8,925

$10.75 MX$189

-44.19%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₩5,129

$3.50 MX$61.3

-1.43%

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

$1.50 ₩2,236

$1.45 MX$25.41

3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,201

$0.88 MX$15.52

-7.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 ₩5,306

$2.95 MX$51.7

21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 ₩7,640

$4.51 MX$79.1

13.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₩3,234

$1.43 MX$25.12

51.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 ₩5,164

$1.84 MX$32.23

88.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 ₩3,980

$1.57 MX$27.51

70.06%

Eggs

$2.71 ₩4,031

$2.51 MX$44.06

7.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 ₩17.2K

$8.28 MX$145

39.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 ₩10.3K

$8.43 MX$148

-17.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.61 ₩35.1K

$10.68 MX$187

121.07%

Apples (1kg)

$8.04 ₩12.0K

$2.61 MX$45.76

208.05%

Banana (1kg)

$3.58 ₩5,334

$1.44 MX$25.22

148.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 ₩8,201

$1.96 MX$34.41

181.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 ₩9,627

$2.09 MX$36.74

209.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 ₩3,543

$1.85 MX$32.47

28.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₩4,350

$2.17 MX$38.02

34.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 ₩3,717

$1.03 MX$18.09

142.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₩1,881

$1.07 MX$18.84

17.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩5,011

$4.10 MX$72.0

-17.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 ₩19.6K

$10.17 MX$178

29.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,471

$1.68 MX$29.38

38.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₩4,321

$2.53 MX$44.31

14.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,592

$0.51 MX$8.93

109.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.3 ₩109.0K

$26.04 MX$457

181.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ₩4,759

$3.23 MX$56.7

-0.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ₩624

$2.41 MX$42.19

-82.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 ₩12.8K

$3.23 MX$56.6

167.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,783

$1.32 MX$23.17

-9.09%

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

$27.8K ₩41.3M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-6.50%

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

$25.5K ₩38.0M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

7.90%

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

$165 ₩244.9K

$82.0 MX$1,439

100.68%

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

$34.55 ₩51.4K

$22.95 MX$403

50.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.26 ₩33.1K

$30.11 MX$528

-26.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ₩75.7K

$52.0 MX$912

-2.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.53 ₩17.2K

$18.53 MX$325

-37.78%

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 ₩15.6K

$4.98 MX$87.3

110.44%

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

$422 ₩627.3K

$197 MX$3,463

113.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩34.7M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

336.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 ₩81.2K

$35.60 MX$624

53.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.08 ₩71.5K

$40.33 MX$707

19.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 ₩119.2K

$78.8 MX$1,381

1.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩173.8K

$88.9 MX$1,560

31.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₩584.7K

$947 MX$16.6K

-58.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ₩379.1K

$474 MX$8,314

-46.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 ₩1.8M

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-26.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ₩886.9K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-50.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,015 ₩10.4M

$4,056 MX$71.1K

72.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,324 ₩7.9M

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-17.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,173 ₩3.2M

$654 MX$11.5K

232.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

11.42

-63.75%

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

Last update for Daegu: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Daegu versus $947 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 232% 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 $36.00 in Daegu versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $416 in Daegu 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,362 in Daegu, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 8% apart. Daegu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,043 per month in Daegu and $1,884 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 $36.00 in Daegu and $42.00 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 $1,362 in Daegu and $1,256 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 $1,256, than in Daegu at $1,362. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $1,362 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.