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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,500 per month in Gyeongju vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,301 per month in Gyeongju vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,103 per month in Gyeongju vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Gyeongju sits 13% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.12 ₩10.2K

$11.72 MX$203

-39.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.37 ₩52.3K

$41.89 MX$725

-13.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 ₩8,572

$10.51 MX$182

-43.29%

Cappuccino

$4.02 ₩5,776

$3.59 MX$62.0

11.98%

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

$1.82 ₩2,611

$1.51 MX$26.10

20.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₩1,992

$0.92 MX$15.83

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,256

$2.96 MX$51.2

23.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 ₩8,683

$4.41 MX$76.3

36.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₩3,355

$1.40 MX$24.16

66.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 ₩4,953

$1.88 MX$32.60

82.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,518

$1.56 MX$26.97

101.28%

Eggs

$3.00 ₩4,316

$2.61 MX$45.14

14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 ₩15.3K

$8.32 MX$144

28.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.19 ₩11.8K

$8.35 MX$145

-1.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.76 ₩39.9K

$10.86 MX$188

155.62%

Apples (1kg)

$8.54 ₩12.3K

$2.71 MX$46.93

215.13%

Banana (1kg)

$3.21 ₩4,612

$1.51 MX$26.04

112.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.40 ₩10.6K

$1.87 MX$32.41

295.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ₩7,461

$2.19 MX$37.89

136.99%

Potato (1kg)

$5.18 ₩7,452

$1.86 MX$32.14

178.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 ₩4,312

$2.23 MX$38.59

34.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 ₩2,944

$1.07 MX$18.48

91.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,740

$1.09 MX$18.79

11.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩4,847

$4.19 MX$72.4

-19.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 ₩19.7K

$10.43 MX$180

31.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₩2,408

$1.66 MX$28.68

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₩4,768

$2.61 MX$45.19

27.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,583

$0.54 MX$9.37

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ₩4,339

$3.08 MX$53.3

-1.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₩1,148

$2.40 MX$41.61

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 ₩23.9K

$3.13 MX$54.1

430.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,749

$1.31 MX$22.69

-6.87%

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

$28.1K ₩40.5M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-5.59%

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

$24.7K ₩35.5M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

5.72%

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

$191 ₩274.4K

$81.3 MX$1,406

134.69%

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

$47.94 ₩69.0K

$22.56 MX$390

112.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.57 ₩39.6K

$30.05 MX$520

-8.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.66 ₩70.0K

$52.9 MX$915

-8.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$10.98 ₩15.8K

$4.92 MX$85.1

123.17%

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

$483 ₩695.0K

$201 MX$3,474

140.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩20.4M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

173.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩148.7K

$35.92 MX$622

187.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 ₩69.0K

$40.13 MX$694

19.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 ₩124.7K

$79.7 MX$1,379

8.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩165.7K

$86.5 MX$1,496

33.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₩653.1K

$978 MX$16.9K

-53.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 ₩531.2K

$470 MX$8,140

-21.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 ₩1.5M

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-35.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 ₩1.1M

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-36.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,159 ₩10.3M

$3,953 MX$68.4K

81.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,422 ₩6.4M

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-33.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,729 ₩2.5M

$677 MX$11.7K

155.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

11.42

-63.05%

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

Last update for Gyeongju: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $454 in Gyeongju versus $978 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 155% higher in Gyeongju, 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 Gyeongju versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $443 in Gyeongju vs $252 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

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

Yes – Gyeongju is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,250 per month in Gyeongju and $1,890 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 $1,500 in Gyeongju and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $483 per month in Gyeongju and $201 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 $1,260, than in Gyeongju at $1,500. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gyeongju 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, Gyeongju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.