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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,137 in Jeonju versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Jeonju versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,431 in Jeonju versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jeonju costs roughly 13% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jeonju 18% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.72 ₩9,005

$11.96 MX$203

-43.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.98 ₩29.5K

$47.38 MX$804

-53.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 ₩6,998

$11.75 MX$199

-55.57%

Cappuccino

$3.74 ₩5,013

$4.12 MX$70.0

-9.22%

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

$1.10 ₩1,472

$1.40 MX$23.74

-21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₩765

$0.91 MX$15.48

-37.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 ₩3,886

$3.21 MX$54.4

-9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₩5,548

$7.07 MX$120

-41.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩2,878

$1.68 MX$28.44

27.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 ₩3,048

$2.15 MX$36.48

5.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,192

$1.77 MX$30.10

76.84%

Eggs

$2.20 ₩2,949

$2.82 MX$47.76

-21.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 ₩14.6K

$9.20 MX$156

18.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 ₩14.0K

$9.23 MX$157

13.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.38 ₩32.7K

$12.64 MX$214

92.88%

Apples (1kg)

$11.07 ₩14.8K

$2.95 MX$50.1

275.25%

Banana (1kg)

$3.72 ₩4,987

$1.58 MX$26.79

135.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.19 ₩11.0K

$2.22 MX$37.70

268.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 ₩5,907

$2.36 MX$40.09

86.44%

Potato (1kg)

$5.93 ₩7,958

$1.99 MX$33.81

197.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,946

$1.98 MX$33.58

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 ₩3,816

$1.24 MX$21.04

129.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₩1,017

$1.21 MX$20.55

-37.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 ₩4,970

$4.60 MX$78.1

-19.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ₩25.0K

$10.52 MX$178

77.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₩2,027

$1.69 MX$28.70

-10.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₩4,680

$2.77 MX$47.06

25.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 ₩1,540

$0.60 MX$10.22

91.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 ₩4,338

$5.24 MX$88.8

-38.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₩961

$3.65 MX$61.9

-80.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.50 ₩22.1K

$5.78 MX$98.1

185.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₩1,777

$1.54 MX$26.09

-14.29%

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

$29.6K ₩39.6M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

29.61%

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

$34.1K ₩45.8M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

32.28%

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

$69.7 ₩93.5K

$90.7 MX$1,538

-23.11%

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

$29.67 ₩39.8K

$25.19 MX$427

17.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.15 ₩29.7K

$31.75 MX$539

-30.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₩81.2K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-11.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$8.81 ₩11.8K

$4.86 MX$82.5

81.28%

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

$621 ₩832.6K

$226 MX$3,828

175.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.5M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

423.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.95 ₩40.2K

$47.38 MX$804

-36.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.3 ₩86.2K

$43.45 MX$737

47.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.8 ₩76.1K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-29.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.71 ₩50.6K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-58.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 ₩387.3K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-73.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 ₩327.9K

$409 MX$6,933

-40.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 ₩783.9K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-70.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ₩598.2K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-65.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,234 ₩3.0M

$773 MX$13.1K

188.84%

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 Jeonju: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $289 in Jeonju and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jeonju pays 189% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Jeonju vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $451 vs $278, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Jeonju is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 189% higher in Jeonju, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $289 in Jeonju versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $621 in Jeonju versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jeonju – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,137 in Jeonju versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeonju but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Jeonju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jeonju is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Jeonju and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jeonju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.