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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,538 in Gongju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,401 in Gongju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,265 in Gongju, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 18% cheaper than Gongju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Gongju is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.30 ₩10.1K

58.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$48.27 ₩66.9K

-2.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.73 ₩9,325

76.52%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.57 ₩4,942

11.48%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.87 ₩2,587

-23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.39 ₩1,923

-41.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$3.75 ₩5,201

-14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.25 ₩5,891

59.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.34 ₩3,244

-28.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$3.13 ₩4,345

-29.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$3.16 ₩4,381

-45.89%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.68 ₩3,715

2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.02 ₩15.3K

-13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$10.24 ₩14.2K

-12.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$24.59 ₩34.1K

-47.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$11.08 ₩15.4K

-73.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$3.61 ₩5,002

-58.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$8.05 ₩11.1K

-73.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$5.95 ₩8,247

-62.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$6.06 ₩8,399

-67.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$3.22 ₩4,460

-38.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$2.76 ₩3,827

-55.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.31 ₩1,821

-8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$3.31 ₩4,593

37.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$18.36 ₩25.5K

-43.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$2.46 ₩3,403

-34.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$3.42 ₩4,735

-15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.13 ₩1,566

-46.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$3.61 ₩5,004

49.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.73 ₩1,007

410.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$16.69 ₩23.1K

-65.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.35 ₩1,869

14.07%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$28.8K ₩39.9M

-21.58%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$33.0K ₩45.7M

-20.99%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$203 ₩280.9K

-54.92%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$36.61 ₩50.7K

-31.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$26.85 ₩37.2K

16.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$55.9 ₩77.5K

20.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$11.70 ₩16.2K

148.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$11.70 ₩16.2K

-58.46%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$633 ₩877.6K

-64.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$21.8K ₩30.2M

-80.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$104 ₩143.7K

-54.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$64.0 ₩88.7K

-30.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$91.1 ₩126.2K

-12.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$128 ₩177.5K

-27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$446 ₩618.5K

138.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$354 ₩490.6K

10.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$1,136 ₩1.6M

89.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$718 ₩995.3K

77.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$6,970 ₩9.7M

-42.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$5,431 ₩7.5M

19.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,322 ₩1.8M

-42.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.22

171.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Gongju: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $446 in Gongju. 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 74% higher in Gongju, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Gongju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $482 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Gongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,538 in Gongju – roughly 21% apart. Gongju costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,306 in Gongju. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,538 in Gongju. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $633 in Gongju. 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 $1,266, than in Gongju at $1,538. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gongju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $1,538 in Gongju. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Gongju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.