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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,235 in Gimcheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,674 in Gimcheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,113 in Gimcheon, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Gimcheon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gimcheon are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Gimcheon 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$6.17 ₩8,581

111.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$33.78 ₩47.0K

36.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$6.17 ₩8,582

104.05%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$3.43 ₩4,770

16.62%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.50 ₩2,084

-5.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.56 ₩773

44.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$3.28 ₩4,559

-7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$4.36 ₩6,064

56.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$2.10 ₩2,918

-18.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$2.91 ₩4,041

-23.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$2.21 ₩3,072

-22.17%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$3.26 ₩4,529

-16.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$14.73 ₩20.5K

-36.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$7.31 ₩10.2K

21.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$10.77 ₩15.0K

18.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$7.35 ₩10.2K

-57.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.98 ₩4,137

-47.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$7.10 ₩9,873

-69.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$6.64 ₩9,226

-64.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$3.39 ₩4,708

-40.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$2.28 ₩3,169

-12.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.97 ₩2,734

-37.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.38 ₩1,914

-13.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$3.23 ₩4,493

43.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$17.46 ₩24.3K

-40.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$2.14 ₩2,973

-26.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.96 ₩1,338

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$2.74 ₩3,807

94.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.59 ₩819

530.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.08 ₩1,500

43.52%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$27.8K ₩38.6M

-19.53%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$34.1K ₩47.4M

-25.07%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$203 ₩282.3K

-56.03%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$40.48 ₩56.3K

-42.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$20.11 ₩27.9K

57.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$67.3 ₩93.6K

2.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$10.47 ₩14.5K

-51.67%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$305 ₩424.5K

-27.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$17.2K ₩23.8M

-74.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$62.1 ₩86.3K

-25.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$60.6 ₩84.3K

-26.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$71.3 ₩99.2K

33.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$95.5 ₩132.8K

-3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$277 ₩385.0K

285.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$226 ₩313.5K

74.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$1,784 ₩2.5M

-58.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

4.1

182.93%

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 Gimcheon: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $277 in Gimcheon. 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 139% higher in Gimcheon, 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 $34.00 in Gimcheon. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $386 in Gimcheon – 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 Gimcheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,853 in Gimcheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gimcheon, 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 $1,235 in Gimcheon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $305 in Gimcheon. 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 Gimcheon, where all-in costs run around $1,235, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Gimcheon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gimcheon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Gimcheon. 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.