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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,281 in Cheonan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,967 in Cheonan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,652 in Cheonan, rent included.

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

Both Playa del Carmen and Cheonan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Cheonan 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.95 ₩8,778

101.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$22.10 ₩32.6K

89.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.09 ₩7,514

111.20%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.22 ₩3,272

57.66%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.17 ₩1,720

23.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.51 ₩754

72.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.63 ₩3,880

12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.74 ₩5,511

20.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.50 ₩2,217

-4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.60 ₩5,309

-48.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$3.08 ₩4,540

-49.03%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.79 ₩2,639

40.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.62 ₩15.7K

-22.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$8.13 ₩12.0K

3.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.86 ₩17.5K

-9.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$7.27 ₩10.7K

-64.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.55 ₩3,759

-43.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$5.66 ₩8,345

-65.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$5.35 ₩7,891

-60.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$5.26 ₩7,764

-64.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.92 ₩4,312

-25.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.90 ₩1,329

14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.04 ₩1,537

2.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.40 ₩5,019

20.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$16.98 ₩25.0K

-40.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.68 ₩2,476

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.44 ₩2,126

75.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.12 ₩1,656

-54.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.97 ₩4,385

8.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.79 ₩1,169

205.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$16.64 ₩24.6K

-80.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.15 ₩1,704

14.78%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$28.2K ₩41.6M

5.36%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.1K ₩37.0M

-5.63%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$143 ₩210.8K

-42.62%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$51.3 ₩75.7K

-55.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$10.03 ₩14.8K

200.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$48.50 ₩71.6K

7.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.50 ₩11.1K

-33.60%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$484 ₩714.7K

-59.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$14.2K ₩20.9M

-62.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$102 ₩150.7K

-65.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$47.89 ₩70.7K

-15.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$73.8 ₩108.9K

6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$108 ₩159.9K

-17.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$461 ₩679.7K

105.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$373 ₩550.1K

27.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,077 ₩1.6M

52.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$753 ₩1.1M

60.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$8,049 ₩11.9M

-49.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$4,770 ₩7.0M

35.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,624 ₩2.4M

-59.75%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $461 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 148% higher in Cheonan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

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 $363 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

Cheonan costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,922 in Cheonan. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,281 in Cheonan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $484 in Cheonan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Cheonan at $1,281. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheonan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $1,281 in Cheonan. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cheonan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.