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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,175 in Changwon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,792 in Changwon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,409 in Changwon.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 11% more expensive than in Changwon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Changwon 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$7.31 ₩9,808

63.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$27.35 ₩36.7K

73.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.35 ₩7,169

119.63%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.60 ₩4,831

14.44%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.81 ₩2,423

-22.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.94 ₩1,256

-3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.91 ₩3,902

10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.36 ₩5,847

62.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.31 ₩3,091

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.13 ₩4,191

-31.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.15 ₩4,228

-43.81%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.60 ₩3,489

8.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$11.06 ₩14.8K

-16.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$10.52 ₩14.1K

-12.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$24.67 ₩33.1K

-48.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$11.29 ₩15.1K

-73.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.67 ₩4,926

-56.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$7.83 ₩10.5K

-71.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$5.89 ₩7,897

-59.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$5.89 ₩7,898

-66.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$3.27 ₩4,390

-39.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.85 ₩3,818

-56.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.33 ₩1,788

-9.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.40 ₩4,560

35.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$18.84 ₩25.3K

-44.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.34 ₩3,141

-27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.50 ₩4,688

-20.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.92 ₩3,920

79.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.76 ₩1,023

380.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$16.94 ₩22.7K

-65.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.32 ₩1,771

16.67%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$29.5K ₩39.6M

-22.81%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$33.5K ₩44.9M

-22.95%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$198 ₩265.3K

-54.17%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$35.58 ₩47.7K

-29.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$26.96 ₩36.2K

17.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$52.4 ₩70.3K

31.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$11.03 ₩14.8K

-55.94%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$630 ₩844.5K

-64.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$22.0K ₩29.5M

-80.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$106 ₩141.6K

-55.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$65.4 ₩87.7K

-33.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$93.0 ₩124.7K

-13.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$126 ₩168.9K

-27.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

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)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,661 ₩2.2M

-53.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.22

171.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Changwon: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Changwon pays 115% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Changwon. Groceries flip the comparison at $278 vs $484, 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Changwon differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $1,175 including rent). Changwon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 115% lower in Changwon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 74% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,175 in Changwon – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,175 in Changwon versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changwon but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Changwon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Changwon 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 Changwon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.