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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,596 per month in Icheon vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Icheon vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,511 per month in Icheon vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Icheon costs about 26% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Icheon sits 17% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ₩8,863

$11.60 MX$200

-44.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.06 ₩67.6K

$47.11 MX$812

4.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 ₩9,216

$11.88 MX$205

-43.69%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ₩5,188

$3.98 MX$68.6

-5.53%

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

$1.27 ₩1,745

$1.43 MX$24.60

-11.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,613

$0.82 MX$14.22

42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,036

$3.19 MX$55.0

14.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 ₩5,788

$6.79 MX$117

-38.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ₩3,068

$1.68 MX$28.89

32.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₩4,438

$2.20 MX$37.88

46.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 ₩4,226

$1.71 MX$29.45

79.53%

Eggs

$2.68 ₩3,688

$2.74 MX$47.26

-2.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 ₩14.8K

$9.58 MX$165

12.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₩14.5K

$9.01 MX$155

16.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.59 ₩33.9K

$12.81 MX$221

91.96%

Apples (1kg)

$11.22 ₩15.5K

$2.89 MX$49.81

288.24%

Banana (1kg)

$3.72 ₩5,130

$1.50 MX$25.81

148.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.26 ₩11.4K

$2.15 MX$37.03

284.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 ₩7,947

$2.26 MX$38.96

155.31%

Potato (1kg)

$6.08 ₩8,379

$1.98 MX$34.15

207.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,473

$1.99 MX$34.30

63.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 ₩3,891

$1.23 MX$21.28

129.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,840

$1.20 MX$20.63

10.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₩4,696

$4.55 MX$78.5

-25.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ₩25.8K

$10.37 MX$179

80.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₩3,405

$1.62 MX$27.91

52.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₩4,699

$2.88 MX$49.67

18.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,546

$0.60 MX$10.35

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩5,020

$5.39 MX$92.9

-32.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 ₩1,062

$3.73 MX$64.3

-79.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.57 ₩22.8K

$5.77 MX$99.5

187.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₩1,919

$1.54 MX$26.48

-9.74%

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

$29.3K ₩40.4M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

29.97%

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

$33.8K ₩46.6M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

29.70%

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

$200 ₩275.1K

$91.4 MX$1,576

118.41%

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

$36.63 ₩50.5K

$25.20 MX$435

45.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.69 ₩36.8K

$31.24 MX$539

-14.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.02 ₩30.3K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-67.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 ₩15.5K

$4.86 MX$83.8

131.07%

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

$619 ₩852.9K

$224 MX$3,856

176.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K ₩29.4M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

405.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩145.0K

$47.10 MX$812

123.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 ₩89.8K

$44.29 MX$764

47.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 ₩129.0K

$80.1 MX$1,381

16.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ₩173.0K

$92.7 MX$1,598

35.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 ₩1.0M

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-30.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 ₩622.6K

$390 MX$6,728

15.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,290 ₩3.2M

$758 MX$13.1K

202.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

11.45

-65.94%

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

Last update for Icheon: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Icheon versus $1,063 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 202% higher in Icheon, 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 $49.00 in Icheon versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $485 vs $276 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Icheon is pricier by about 26%, 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 $2,395 per month in Icheon and $1,899 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 $49.00 in Icheon and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 76% more in Icheon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Icheon at $1,596. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Icheon 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, Icheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.