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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,318 per month in Daejeon vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,055 per month in Daejeon vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,792 per month in Daejeon vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Daejeon costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Daejeon and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Daejeon 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 ₩10.5K

$11.94 MX$209

-40.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.85 ₩54.7K

$42.75 MX$748

-13.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 ₩8,170

$10.59 MX$185

-47.97%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ₩5,560

$3.62 MX$63.4

3.59%

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

$1.51 ₩2,238

$1.47 MX$25.69

2.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,209

$0.94 MX$16.51

-13.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 ₩4,880

$3.09 MX$54.1

6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 ₩7,666

$4.46 MX$78.0

15.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩3,196

$1.43 MX$24.94

50.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 ₩3,882

$1.88 MX$32.97

39.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 ₩3,882

$1.63 MX$28.50

60.74%

Eggs

$2.64 ₩3,912

$2.64 MX$46.26

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ₩15.3K

$8.21 MX$144

25.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 ₩11.6K

$8.29 MX$145

-5.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 ₩30.1K

$11.10 MX$194

82.88%

Apples (1kg)

$8.59 ₩12.7K

$2.65 MX$46.40

224.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,823

$1.50 MX$26.26

116.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.48 ₩8,124

$1.99 MX$34.79

175.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,593

$2.08 MX$36.33

146.15%

Potato (1kg)

$5.15 ₩7,644

$1.79 MX$31.29

187.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 ₩3,944

$2.18 MX$38.09

22.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩2,973

$1.08 MX$18.84

85.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₩1,685

$1.04 MX$18.15

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₩4,977

$3.97 MX$69.5

-15.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.01 ₩25.2K

$10.20 MX$179

66.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₩2,600

$1.73 MX$30.22

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₩4,978

$2.50 MX$43.71

34.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₩1,612

$0.52 MX$9.07

109.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.89 ₩16.2K

$26.97 MX$472

-59.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₩4,032

$3.14 MX$55.0

-13.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₩1,277

$2.40 MX$42.04

-64.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.56 ₩24.6K

$3.09 MX$54.0

435.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,714

$1.27 MX$22.28

-8.66%

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

$27.4K ₩40.6M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-11.29%

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

$10.9K ₩16.2M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-53.06%

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

$167 ₩247.9K

$82.0 MX$1,435

103.77%

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

$44.13 ₩65.5K

$22.45 MX$393

96.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.65 ₩36.6K

$29.66 MX$519

-16.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.67 ₩45.5K

$51.9 MX$908

-40.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.43 ₩33.3K

$18.67 MX$327

20.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 ₩16.6K

$4.97 MX$87.0

125.55%

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

$281 ₩417.4K

$198 MX$3,462

42.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.4K ₩52.5M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

571.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ₩93.2K

$36.34 MX$636

72.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 ₩60.1K

$40.05 MX$701

1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 ₩129.7K

$79.9 MX$1,398

9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₩152.6K

$88.9 MX$1,555

15.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 ₩555.6K

$963 MX$16.9K

-61.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 ₩466.9K

$465 MX$8,133

-32.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 ₩1.4M

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-42.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 ₩894.1K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-50.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,127 ₩7.6M

$3,942 MX$69.0K

30.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,049 ₩6.0M

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-37.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,124 ₩3.2M

$720 MX$12.6K

194.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.77

11.42

-66.99%

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

Last update for Daejeon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $375 in Daejeon versus $963 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 195% higher in Daejeon, 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 Daejeon versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $402 in Daejeon vs $251 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

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

Daejeon costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,977 per month in Daejeon and $1,930 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,318 in Daejeon and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 148% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Daejeon at $1,318. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Daejeon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $1,318 in Daejeon. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Daejeon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.