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: $1,235 in Jeonju versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,947 in Jeonju versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,659 in Jeonju versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jeonju costs roughly 2% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jeonju 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 ₩9,443

$11.95 MX$208

-45.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.94 ₩40.8K

$41.94 MX$731

-33.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 ₩7,349

$10.42 MX$182

-51.63%

Cappuccino

$3.71 ₩5,418

$3.51 MX$61.3

5.70%

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

$1.12 ₩1,634

$1.52 MX$26.44

-26.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₩1,007

$0.91 MX$15.88

-24.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 ₩2,753

$3.04 MX$53.0

-37.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ₩4,396

$4.37 MX$76.2

-31.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ₩2,955

$1.42 MX$24.78

42.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 ₩3,148

$1.83 MX$31.93

18.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,572

$1.63 MX$28.51

92.02%

Eggs

$2.93 ₩4,274

$2.54 MX$44.29

15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ₩15.2K

$8.57 MX$149

21.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 ₩12.1K

$8.49 MX$148

-2.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.53 ₩40.2K

$10.80 MX$188

154.91%

Apples (1kg)

$8.40 ₩12.3K

$2.75 MX$48.04

205.45%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,524

$1.44 MX$25.05

115.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.18 ₩10.5K

$1.89 MX$32.90

279.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 ₩7,730

$2.17 MX$37.84

144.24%

Potato (1kg)

$5.08 ₩7,419

$1.78 MX$31.03

185.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 ₩4,222

$2.22 MX$38.79

30.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 ₩3,093

$1.07 MX$18.64

98.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,748

$1.08 MX$18.83

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₩4,908

$4.15 MX$72.3

-19.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ₩24.8K

$10.45 MX$182

62.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₩2,447

$1.74 MX$30.40

-3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₩5,049

$2.58 MX$45.01

34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,616

$0.51 MX$8.95

117.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₩5,204

$3.21 MX$56.0

11.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,154

$2.50 MX$43.64

-68.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.50 ₩24.1K

$3.19 MX$55.6

417.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,764

$1.26 MX$21.91

-3.97%

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

$27.8K ₩40.5M

$29.7K MX$517.7K

-6.44%

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

$24.6K ₩35.8M

$23.7K MX$413.0K

3.72%

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

$188 ₩274.9K

$82.0 MX$1,430

129.67%

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

$51.4 ₩75.0K

$22.73 MX$396

126.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.33 ₩32.6K

$29.42 MX$513

-24.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.63 ₩71.0K

$52.2 MX$910

-6.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$9.03 ₩13.2K

$4.93 MX$86.0

83.16%

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

$491 ₩717.3K

$202 MX$3,519

143.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₩20.3M

$5,217 MX$91.0K

167.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.85 ₩42.1K

$35.93 MX$627

-19.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.35 ₩70.6K

$40.33 MX$703

19.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 ₩98.4K

$79.9 MX$1,393

-15.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₩174.4K

$89.3 MX$1,557

33.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 ₩405.6K

$948 MX$16.5K

-70.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 ₩326.2K

$465 MX$8,114

-51.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₩847.5K

$1,630 MX$28.4K

-64.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 ₩681.4K

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-60.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,017 ₩2.9M

$658 MX$11.5K

206.42%

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 Jeonju: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Jeonju and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jeonju pays 206% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Jeonju vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $430 vs $252, 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, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 206% 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: $278 in Jeonju versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $491 in Jeonju versus $202 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 $28.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,235 in Jeonju versus $1,259 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 2% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.