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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,487 in Gimhae.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,312 in Gimhae.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,138 in Gimhae.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 13% less than in Gimhae, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Gimhae is 11% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Gimhae
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$7.24 ₩10.7K
64.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$37.05 ₩55.0K
15.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$5.91 ₩8,762
79.19%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$4.04 ₩5,995
-10.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$1.80 ₩2,674
-18.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$1.32 ₩1,965
-28.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$3.78 ₩5,604
-18.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$6.00 ₩8,897
-25.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Gimhae
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$2.28 ₩3,378
-37.28%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$3.57 ₩5,300
-47.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$3.08 ₩4,561
-47.08%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$2.86 ₩4,247
-7.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$10.54 ₩15.6K
-22.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$8.44 ₩12.5K
-1.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$27.88 ₩41.4K
-60.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$8.66 ₩12.8K
-69.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$3.10 ₩4,598
-51.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$7.38 ₩10.9K
-73.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$5.31 ₩7,882
-60.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$5.16 ₩7,658
-65.31%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$2.89 ₩4,291
-24.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$2.08 ₩3,087
-48.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$1.15 ₩1,699
-9.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$3.38 ₩5,008
17.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$17.06 ₩25.3K
-40.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$1.76 ₩2,612
-1.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$3.50 ₩5,188
-28.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Gimhae
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$1.12 ₩1,664
-53.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$3.46 ₩5,138
-9.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$0.78 ₩1,164
207.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$16.60 ₩24.6K
-81.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$1.16 ₩1,721
9.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$27.5K ₩40.7M
12.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$24.8K ₩36.8M
-6.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Gimhae
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$186 ₩276.1K
-55.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$50.8 ₩75.3K
-55.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$28.04 ₩41.6K
5.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Gimhae
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$47.06 ₩69.8K
10.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$11.43 ₩17.0K
-56.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Gimhae
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$480 ₩712.4K
-58.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$14.0K ₩20.8M
-62.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Gimhae
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$103 ₩152.5K
-64.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$47.00 ₩69.7K
-14.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$88.3 ₩130.9K
-9.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$119 ₩175.9K
-25.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Gimhae
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$458 ₩679.1K
110.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$369 ₩547.2K
25.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$1,078 ₩1.6M
48.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$765 ₩1.1M
57.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
$8,748 ₩13.0M
-54.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
$6,092 ₩9.0M
5.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Gimhae
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
$2,263 ₩3.4M
-68.17%
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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Gimhae: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $458 in Gimhae. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gimhae pays 214% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $37.00 in Gimhae. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $451, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Gimhae: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Gimhae?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Gimhae. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or Gimhae?
On paper, Gimhae earns 214% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Gimhae?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $458 in Gimhae. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Gimhae?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $480 in Gimhae. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Gimhae?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $37.00 in Gimhae. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Gimhae?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,487 in Gimhae, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Gimhae. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Gimhae?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Gimhae?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Gimhae are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Gimhae. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities