Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gimcheon and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $1,319 in Gimcheon, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. The total is higher in Gimcheon despite lower rent and utilities.

64

Cost of Living Index in Gimcheon
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Gimcheon Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Gimcheon

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,319

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gimcheon and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gimcheon and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,319 per month in Gimcheon vs $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gimcheon $1,319
Playa del Carmen $1,210

A couple spends around $1,779 per month in Gimcheon vs $2,113 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gimcheon $1,779
Playa del Carmen $2,113

A family of three spends $2,239 per month in Gimcheon vs $3,016 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gimcheon $2,239
Playa del Carmen $3,016

Gimcheon costs about 9% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Gimcheon and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Gimcheon 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.09 ₩8,091

$10.76 MX$199

-43.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.04 ₩45.3K

$43.03 MX$795

-20.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 ₩8,928

$11.79 MX$218

-43.09%

Cappuccino

$3.70 ₩4,921

$3.87 MX$71.4

-4.39%

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

$1.61 ₩2,136

$1.37 MX$25.29

17.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₩842

$0.84 MX$15.44

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 ₩4,683

$3.10 MX$57.3

13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₩5,939

$5.07 MX$93.6

-11.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩2,975

$1.44 MX$26.55

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₩4,264

$2.23 MX$41.23

43.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 ₩3,010

$1.47 MX$27.17

53.74%

Eggs

$3.31 ₩4,401

$2.53 MX$46.71

30.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.79 ₩21.0K

$7.30 MX$135

116.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 ₩10.3K

$7.86 MX$145

-1.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 ₩15.1K

$12.79 MX$236

-11.34%

Apples (1kg)

$7.77 ₩10.3K

$2.90 MX$53.6

167.93%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,302

$1.44 MX$26.53

125.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.36 ₩9,792

$2.55 MX$47.07

188.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.78 ₩9,020

$2.06 MX$38.03

229.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 ₩4,735

$2.00 MX$36.97

78.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 ₩3,203

$2.01 MX$37.07

19.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₩2,712

$1.19 MX$22.02

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₩1,971

$1.26 MX$23.23

17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ₩4,572

$4.40 MX$81.4

-21.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.48 ₩24.6K

$9.59 MX$177

92.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₩3,071

$1.59 MX$29.41

45.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$51.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₩1,367

$0.57 MX$10.47

80.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MX$514

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 ₩3,895

$4.98 MX$92.1

-41.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₩877

$3.50 MX$64.6

-81.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MX$99.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₩1,525

$1.47 MX$27.08

-21.77%

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

$29.5K ₩39.2M

$21.0K MX$387.8K

40.61%

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

$35.9K ₩47.8M

$23.9K MX$441.8K

50.32%

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

$213 ₩283.8K

$84.2 MX$1,556

153.45%

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

$44.15 ₩58.7K

$23.99 MX$443

84.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.62 ₩27.4K

$29.02 MX$536

-28.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 ₩93.9K

$63.0 MX$1,164

12.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$539

Cinema Ticket

$11.36 ₩15.1K

$4.94 MX$91.3

129.96%

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

$303 ₩403.1K

$204 MX$3,763

48.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ₩23.5M

$3,941 MX$72.8K

348.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 ₩88.7K

$43.60 MX$806

52.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 ₩85.3K

$43.12 MX$797

48.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 ₩98.5K

$75.8 MX$1,400

-2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 ₩131.1K

$88.6 MX$1,637

11.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 ₩393.1K

$1,008 MX$18.6K

-70.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 ₩324.3K

$374 MX$6,911

-34.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 MX$20.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 MX$72.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,169 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,930 ₩2.6M

$754 MX$13.9K

155.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

11.45

-64.19%

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

Last update for Gimcheon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Gimcheon

$408 * 30.9%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4% 36.7% $150

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gimcheon

$278 21.1%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3% 50.7% $141

Accommodation & Living

Gimcheon

$244 18.5%

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9% 53.3% $130

Eating Out

Gimcheon

$149 11.3%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7% 36% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Gimcheon

$137 10.4%

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3% 17.3% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Gimcheon

$93 7.1%

Playa del Carmen

$73 6% 22% $21

Getting Around

Gimcheon

$10 * 0.8%

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3% 408% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $296 in Gimcheon versus $1,008 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 156% higher in Gimcheon, 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 $34.00 in Gimcheon versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $408 in Gimcheon vs $258 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Gimcheon

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

07:34 7:34 AM

17:34 5:34 PM

14 h behind Gimcheon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

143,056

149,923

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Gimcheon Playa del Carmen 12,700 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Gimcheon
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Gimcheon is pricier by about 9%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,979 per month in Gimcheon and $1,816 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 $1,319 in Gimcheon and $1,210 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 9%.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Gimcheon and $204 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Gimcheon at $1,319. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gimcheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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