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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,265 in Daejeon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,964 in Daejeon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,662 in Daejeon, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 5% more than Daejeon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Daejeon are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Daejeon 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$6.95 ₩9,656

87.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$35.90 ₩49.9K

28.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$5.13 ₩7,126

145.42%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$3.60 ₩5,005

11.11%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.17 ₩1,628

21.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.64 ₩883

26.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$3.30 ₩4,582

-7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$3.48 ₩4,837

95.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$2.06 ₩2,863

-16.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$2.58 ₩3,582

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$2.61 ₩3,624

-34.10%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.42 ₩3,361

11.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$10.27 ₩14.3K

-8.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$7.55 ₩10.5K

17.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$19.33 ₩26.9K

-33.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$10.43 ₩14.5K

-69.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$5.38 ₩7,482

-71.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$5.30 ₩7,365

-59.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$5.46 ₩7,596

-56.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$4.90 ₩6,812

-58.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$2.65 ₩3,687

-24.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.56 ₩2,171

-20.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.07 ₩1,489

11.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$3.18 ₩4,421

46.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$17.66 ₩24.6K

-40.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$2.54 ₩3,529

-37.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$3.19 ₩4,434

-8.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$1.03 ₩1,431

-45.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$10.70 ₩14.9K

178.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$3.06 ₩4,253

73.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.69 ₩962

439.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$15.66 ₩21.8K

-63.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.18 ₩1,642

31.36%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$26.9K ₩37.4M

-16.94%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$22.0K ₩30.6M

16.02%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$165 ₩230.0K

-46.03%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$40.31 ₩56.0K

-42.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$21.35 ₩29.7K

48.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$31.65 ₩44.0K

117.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$10.67 ₩14.8K

-52.58%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$287 ₩399.1K

-22.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$20.7K ₩28.7M

-79.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$59.8 ₩83.1K

-22.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$39.24 ₩54.5K

13.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$89.0 ₩123.7K

7.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$102 ₩142.4K

-9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$356 ₩495.2K

200.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$281 ₩391.3K

39.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$1,000 ₩1.4M

98.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$555 ₩771.4K

134.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$5,218 ₩7.3M

-22.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$4,227 ₩5.9M

56.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$2,199 ₩3.1M

-66.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

3.65

217.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Daejeon: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $356 in Daejeon. 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 194% higher in Daejeon, 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Daejeon. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $420 in Daejeon – 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 Daejeon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 5% more than Daejeon, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,898 in Daejeon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Daejeon, 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $1,265 in Daejeon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 178% less in Daejeon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Daejeon, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Daejeon 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. Daejeon costs $1,265 versus $1,330 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 Daejeon. 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.