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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,452 in Chungju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,297 in Chungju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,142 in Chungju, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 10% cheaper than Chungju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Chungju is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$7.47 ₩10.0K

60.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$48.36 ₩64.8K

-2.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.47 ₩8,682

81.61%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.60 ₩4,832

14.44%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.80 ₩2,417

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.37 ₩1,842

-33.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.76 ₩5,047

-14.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.30 ₩5,766

64.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.25 ₩3,020

-25.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.00 ₩4,026

-28.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.04 ₩4,077

-41.78%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.72 ₩3,643

3.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.90 ₩14.6K

-15.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$7.64 ₩10.2K

20.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$24.71 ₩33.1K

-48.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$9.00 ₩12.1K

-67.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.59 ₩4,821

-55.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$8.15 ₩10.9K

-72.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$5.97 ₩8,002

-60.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$5.89 ₩7,893

-66.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$3.24 ₩4,350

-38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.78 ₩3,728

-55.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.28 ₩1,718

-5.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.41 ₩4,570

34.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$18.78 ₩25.2K

-43.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.37 ₩3,184

-28.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.04 ₩4,074

-8.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.09 ₩1,468

-44.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$3.51 ₩4,703

49.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.73 ₩978

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$16.48 ₩22.1K

-64.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.34 ₩1,797

14.93%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$29.6K ₩39.7M

-22.98%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$33.0K ₩44.3M

-21.84%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$199 ₩266.9K

-54.44%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$27.02 ₩36.2K

-6.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$26.48 ₩35.5K

19.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$49.92 ₩66.9K

37.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$12.63 ₩16.9K

132.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$11.94 ₩16.0K

-59.30%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$625 ₩838.4K

-63.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$21.3K ₩28.6M

-80.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$73.4 ₩98.4K

-35.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$37.67 ₩50.5K

15.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$73.5 ₩98.5K

9.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$113 ₩150.9K

-18.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$467 ₩625.8K

132.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$358 ₩480.2K

14.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$986 ₩1.3M

100.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$786 ₩1.1M

63.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$6,996 ₩9.4M

-42.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$5,425 ₩7.3M

23.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,653 ₩2.2M

-53.22%

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 Chungju: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $467 in Chungju. 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 114% higher in Chungju, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Chungju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $456 – 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

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

Chungju costs about 11% 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,178 in Chungju. 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,452 in Chungju. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $625 in Chungju. 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 $1,305, than in Chungju at $1,452. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chungju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,305 versus $1,452 in Chungju. 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, Chungju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.