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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,366 in Geoje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,133 in Geoje, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,901 in Geoje, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 5% cheaper than Geoje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Geoje is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$7.37 ₩11.1K

59.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$34.58 ₩52.2K

20.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.14 ₩9,276

69.54%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$4.18 ₩6,323

-13.64%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.83 ₩2,758

-20.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.71 ₩1,070

36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.46 ₩2,201

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.64 ₩5,504

26.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.79 ₩2,698

-20.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$2.07 ₩3,133

-8.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.99 ₩4,524

-47.49%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.17 ₩3,279

21.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$10.30 ₩15.6K

-18.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$8.19 ₩12.4K

4.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$27.78 ₩42.0K

-60.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$8.22 ₩12.4K

-67.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$3.25 ₩4,907

-53.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$7.59 ₩11.5K

-74.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$5.36 ₩8,097

-59.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$5.21 ₩7,869

-64.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$3.07 ₩4,633

-27.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.05 ₩3,096

-47.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.21 ₩1,835

-11.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$3.38 ₩5,105

23.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$11.66 ₩17.6K

-11.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.68 ₩2,535

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.34 ₩5,050

-24.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$1.11 ₩1,677

-50.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.91 ₩4,402

9.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.84 ₩1,263

192.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$16.60 ₩25.1K

-80.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.22 ₩1,840

8.20%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$27.5K ₩41.5M

9.80%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$25.5K ₩38.5M

-8.16%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$129 ₩195.3K

-37.07%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$25.80 ₩39.0K

-13.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$27.04 ₩40.9K

10.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$48.34 ₩73.0K

6.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$11.28 ₩17.0K

-54.26%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$494 ₩746.0K

-59.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$14.3K ₩21.7M

-62.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$105 ₩158.4K

-66.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$46.73 ₩70.6K

-13.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$89.2 ₩134.8K

-11.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$116 ₩174.9K

-24.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$446 ₩674.0K

112.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$380 ₩573.9K

25.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,055 ₩1.6M

53.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$773 ₩1.2M

58.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$1,563 ₩2.4M

-56.95%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Geoje: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $446 in Geoje. 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 132% higher in Geoje, 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 $35.00 in Geoje. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $415 in Geoje – 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 Geoje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Geoje costs about 6% 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,048 in Geoje. 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,366 in Geoje. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $494 in Geoje. 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 $1,294, than in Geoje at $1,366. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Geoje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,294 versus $1,366 in Geoje. 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, Geoje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.