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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,274 in Cheonan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,957 in Cheonan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,640 in Cheonan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Cheonan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cheonan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Cheonan 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.71 ₩8,745

105.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$21.99 ₩33.7K

89.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.84 ₩7,420

119.83%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.14 ₩3,283

64.49%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.20 ₩1,845

25.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.48 ₩735

102.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.55 ₩3,900

15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.72 ₩5,696

19.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.50 ₩2,295

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.52 ₩5,387

-46.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.03 ₩4,644

-45.87%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.73 ₩2,647

45.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.60 ₩16.2K

-21.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.33 ₩12.8K

0.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.97 ₩18.3K

-10.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$7.33 ₩11.2K

-64.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.50 ₩3,825

-41.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$5.57 ₩8,541

-65.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$5.31 ₩8,144

-60.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$4.99 ₩7,651

-64.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.95 ₩4,527

-25.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.92 ₩1,411

13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.06 ₩1,619

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.29 ₩5,034

24.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$16.68 ₩25.6K

-38.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.77 ₩2,709

-3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.50 ₩2,296

72.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.12 ₩1,712

-54.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.96 ₩4,528

10.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.84 ₩1,289

196.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$16.77 ₩25.7K

-80.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.16 ₩1,780

12.93%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$27.8K ₩42.5M

9.04%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$25.3K ₩38.7M

-7.30%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$141 ₩215.5K

-41.08%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$50.6 ₩77.5K

-56.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$9.97 ₩15.3K

194.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$48.28 ₩74.0K

6.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$7.57 ₩11.6K

-33.03%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$492 ₩754.0K

-59.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$14.1K ₩21.6M

-62.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$102 ₩156.0K

-63.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$48.01 ₩73.6K

-17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$74.2 ₩113.7K

5.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$110 ₩168.5K

-20.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$453 ₩693.8K

114.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$378 ₩578.7K

23.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,072 ₩1.6M

53.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$774 ₩1.2M

57.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$9,773 ₩15.0M

-59.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$5,779 ₩8.9M

12.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,579 ₩2.4M

-57.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.22

170.62%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $453 in Cheonan. 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 138% higher in Cheonan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Cheonan. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $362 in Cheonan – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cheonan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Cheonan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,910 in Cheonan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cheonan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,274 in Cheonan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $492 in Cheonan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cheonan, where all-in costs run around $1,274, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Cheonan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cheonan costs $1,274 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Cheonan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.