Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gongju and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,522 in Gongju, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Gongju
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Gongju Living Index
57

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

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Gongju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,522

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,202

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gongju 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 Gongju and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,522 per month in Gongju vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gongju $1,522
Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $2,522 per month in Gongju vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gongju $2,522
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,522 per month in Gongju vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gongju $3,522
Playa del Carmen $2,962

Gongju costs about 27% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Gongju sits 13% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 ₩9,708

$10.67 MX$199

-32.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.72 ₩64.0K

$43.80 MX$815

8.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 ₩8,956

$11.79 MX$219

-43.34%

Cappuccino

$3.70 ₩4,961

$3.79 MX$70.5

-2.37%

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

$1.80 ₩2,417

$1.30 MX$24.14

38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₩1,850

$0.83 MX$15.51

66.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩4,898

$3.15 MX$58.6

15.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₩5,606

$4.93 MX$91.8

-15.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₩3,132

$1.41 MX$26.22

65.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₩4,320

$2.20 MX$40.86

46.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,061

$1.47 MX$27.40

106.12%

Eggs

$2.68 ₩3,590

$2.50 MX$46.46

7.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 ₩14.5K

$7.29 MX$136

48.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩14.0K

$7.95 MX$148

31.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.97 ₩33.5K

$12.86 MX$239

94.17%

Apples (1kg)

$11.02 ₩14.8K

$2.90 MX$53.9

280.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.65 ₩4,895

$1.38 MX$25.74

164.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.16 ₩10.9K

$2.49 MX$46.35

227.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.03 ₩8,082

$2.03 MX$37.77

197.04%

Potato (1kg)

$5.80 ₩7,773

$2.02 MX$37.68

187.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,350

$1.90 MX$35.42

71.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 ₩3,828

$1.14 MX$21.30

150.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,705

$1.24 MX$23.05

2.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₩4,575

$4.27 MX$79.5

-20.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.26 ₩24.5K

$9.81 MX$183

86.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,185

$1.59 MX$29.51

49.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 ₩4,827

$2.75 MX$51.1

30.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ₩1,605

$0.51 MX$9.58

135.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.39 MX$510

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩4,875

$4.76 MX$88.6

-23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₩895

$3.25 MX$60.5

-79.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.65 ₩19.6K

$5.39 MX$100

171.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₩1,868

$1.53 MX$28.44

-9.15%

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

$39.8K ₩53.3M

$21.2K MX$394.8K

87.40%

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

$33.7K ₩45.1M

$23.3K MX$432.9K

44.65%

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

$200 ₩268.6K

$83.5 MX$1,554

139.96%

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

$36.89 ₩49.5K

$23.19 MX$431

59.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.87 ₩36.0K

$27.61 MX$514

-2.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.3 ₩78.1K

$56.4 MX$1,050

3.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.41 ₩20.7K

$28.19 MX$525

-45.34%

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 ₩15.8K

$5.00 MX$93.1

135.40%

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

$636 ₩853.1K

$207 MX$3,854

207.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K ₩28.9M

$5,231 MX$97.3K

312.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩140.8K

$43.45 MX$809

141.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 ₩86.4K

$42.54 MX$792

51.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 ₩123.9K

$72.8 MX$1,354

27.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ₩171.6K

$88.4 MX$1,645

44.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ₩567.9K

$995 MX$18.5K

-57.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 ₩459.4K

$382 MX$7,116

-10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 ₩1.9M

$1,674 MX$31.2K

-16.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$936 ₩1.3M

$1,081 MX$20.1K

-13.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,877 ₩9.2M

$3,909 MX$72.7K

75.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,486 ₩7.4M

$6,138 MX$114.2K

-10.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,309 ₩1.8M

$832 MX$15.5K

57.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

11.45

-63.14%

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

Last update for Gongju: November 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Gongju

$484 31.8%

Playa del Carmen

$257 21.4% 46.8% $227

Accommodation & Living

Gongju

$343 22.5%

Playa del Carmen

$382 31.8% 11.6% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gongju

$264 17.4%

Playa del Carmen

$134 11.2% 49.2% $130

Clothing & Footwear

Gongju

$175 11.5%

Playa del Carmen

$111 9.3% 36.6% $64

Eating Out

Gongju

$162 10.6%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.7% 23.8% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Gongju

$82 5.4%

Playa del Carmen

$66 5.5% 18.8% $15

Getting Around

Gongju

$12 * 0.8%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 329% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Gongju versus $995 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 57% higher in Gongju. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Gongju versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $484 vs $257 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Gongju

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

14:26 2:26 PM

00:26 12:26 AM

14 h behind Gongju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

110,428

149,923

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.63 EUR

100 MXN = 5.37 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 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 November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1,341 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,509 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.63 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.95 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Gongju Playa del Carmen 12,720 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Gongju
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,522 in Gongju, $1,202 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,283 per month in Gongju and $1,804 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 Gongju, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $424 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,522 in Gongju and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 21% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $636 per month in Gongju and $207 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 $1,202, than in Gongju at $1,522. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gongju 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 $1,202 in Playa del Carmen to $1,522 in Gongju. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gongju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.