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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,362 in Geoje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,158 in Geoje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,954 in Geoje, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 7% cheaper than Geoje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Geoje is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.03 ₩10.1K

66.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$34.27 ₩49.3K

22.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.18 ₩8,884

70.06%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.09 ₩5,876

-12.22%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.80 ₩2,592

-16.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.74 ₩1,070

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.44 ₩2,074

105.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.70 ₩5,324

19.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.80 ₩2,592

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.98 ₩2,848

-5.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.01 ₩4,332

-48.17%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.18 ₩3,135

19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.51 ₩15.1K

-20.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$8.37 ₩12.0K

-0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$27.61 ₩39.7K

-60.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$8.21 ₩11.8K

-66.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$3.25 ₩4,678

-53.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$7.37 ₩10.6K

-74.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$5.15 ₩7,413

-57.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$5.02 ₩7,220

-62.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.07 ₩4,411

-27.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.07 ₩2,977

-48.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.16 ₩1,664

-6.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.27 ₩4,698

28.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$11.96 ₩17.2K

-12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.68 ₩2,411

-1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.31 ₩4,755

-21.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.12 ₩1,605

-51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.85 ₩4,106

8.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.80 ₩1,148

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$16.79 ₩24.1K

-81.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.16 ₩1,675

12.93%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$27.6K ₩39.7M

7.89%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$25.0K ₩35.9M

-6.58%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$131 ₩188.1K

-37.86%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$25.64 ₩36.9K

-12.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$27.78 ₩40.0K

8.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$48.30 ₩69.5K

9.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$11.59 ₩16.7K

-57.55%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$488 ₩702.2K

-58.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$13.9K ₩20.0M

-62.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$104 ₩149.1K

-65.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$47.14 ₩67.8K

-14.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$89.4 ₩128.6K

-10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$116 ₩166.9K

-25.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$454 ₩652.5K

115.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$377 ₩542.3K

24.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,045 ₩1.5M

58.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$764 ₩1.1M

57.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,589 ₩2.3M

-57.43%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Geoje: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $454 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 135% 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 $34.00 in Geoje. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $413 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 8% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,042 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,362 in Geoje. 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 $488 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 $1,260, than in Geoje at $1,362. 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 $1,260 versus $1,362 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.