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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,482 per month in Jinju vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,362 per month in Jinju vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,243 per month in Jinju vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jinju costs about 18% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Jinju sits 11% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 ₩13.2K

$11.95 MX$208

-24.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 ₩78.8K

$41.94 MX$731

28.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 ₩9,136

$10.42 MX$182

-39.92%

Cappuccino

$3.80 ₩5,544

$3.51 MX$61.3

8.26%

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

$1.72 ₩2,510

$1.52 MX$26.44

13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,217

$0.91 MX$15.88

-8.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,258

$3.04 MX$53.0

18.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 ₩8,614

$4.37 MX$76.2

35.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ₩3,259

$1.42 MX$24.78

57.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 ₩4,863

$1.83 MX$31.93

81.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,509

$1.63 MX$28.51

89.57%

Eggs

$3.18 ₩4,645

$2.54 MX$44.29

25.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.59 ₩21.3K

$8.57 MX$149

70.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 ₩15.7K

$8.49 MX$148

26.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.21 ₩49.9K

$10.80 MX$188

216.76%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩11.2K

$2.75 MX$48.04

178.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.51 ₩5,116

$1.44 MX$25.05

143.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 ₩8,079

$1.89 MX$32.90

193.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 ₩9,459

$2.17 MX$37.84

198.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 ₩5,746

$1.78 MX$31.03

121.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 ₩4,138

$2.22 MX$38.79

27.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 ₩3,792

$1.07 MX$18.64

142.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,698

$1.08 MX$18.83

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,796

$4.15 MX$72.3

-20.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.13 ₩25.0K

$10.45 MX$182

63.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₩3,438

$1.74 MX$30.40

35.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ₩4,721

$2.58 MX$45.01

25.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ₩1,562

$0.51 MX$8.95

109.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ₩5,014

$3.21 MX$56.0

7.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩824

$2.50 MX$43.64

-77.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩12.7K

$3.19 MX$55.6

173.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,819

$1.26 MX$21.91

-0.79%

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

$28.2K ₩41.2M

$29.7K MX$517.7K

-4.86%

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

$25.4K ₩37.0M

$23.7K MX$413.0K

7.11%

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

$165 ₩241.0K

$82.0 MX$1,430

101.32%

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

$35.31 ₩51.5K

$22.73 MX$396

55.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.86 ₩31.9K

$29.42 MX$513

-25.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 ₩68.7K

$52.2 MX$910

-9.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 ₩15.9K

$4.93 MX$86.0

121.10%

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

$413 ₩602.2K

$202 MX$3,519

104.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K ₩34.2M

$5,217 MX$91.0K

348.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ₩84.8K

$35.93 MX$627

61.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 ₩68.6K

$40.33 MX$703

16.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 ₩116.3K

$79.9 MX$1,393

-0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩170.0K

$89.3 MX$1,557

30.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₩656.4K

$948 MX$16.5K

-52.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 ₩538.0K

$465 MX$8,114

-20.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 ₩1.6M

$1,630 MX$28.4K

-33.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₩1.1M

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-34.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,909 ₩10.1M

$3,933 MX$68.6K

75.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,379 ₩6.4M

$6,428 MX$112.1K

-31.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

11.42

-63.75%

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

Last update for Jinju: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $450 in Jinju versus $948 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Jinju versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $489 vs $252 – 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

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

Yes – Jinju is pricier by about 18%, 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 $2,223 per month in Jinju and $1,888 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 $54.0 in Jinju and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 94% more in Jinju, 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 $1,259, than in Jinju at $1,482. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jinju 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, Jinju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.