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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,421 in Gwangju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,185 in Gwangju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,948 in Gwangju.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 12% less than in Gwangju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Gwangju is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.49 ₩11.1K

60.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$52.2 ₩77.0K

-19.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.99 ₩8,840

79.47%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.88 ₩5,725

-9.79%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.50 ₩2,218

-3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.73 ₩1,076

20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.01 ₩4,435

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.69 ₩5,438

22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.79 ₩2,648

-20.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.35 ₩3,470

-21.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$3.02 ₩4,454

-48.01%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.69 ₩3,974

-6.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.37 ₩10.9K

12.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.14 ₩10.5K

18.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$34.27 ₩50.6K

-68.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$7.73 ₩11.4K

-66.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$3.43 ₩5,056

-58.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$5.60 ₩8,261

-65.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$5.74 ₩8,464

-63.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$4.01 ₩5,920

-53.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.50 ₩3,692

-13.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.54 ₩3,740

-59.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.17 ₩1,721

-8.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.39 ₩5,006

20.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$10.05 ₩14.8K

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.62 ₩2,395

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.29 ₩3,373

10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.96 ₩1,416

-46.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$66.2 ₩97.7K

-60.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.96 ₩4,368

9.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.53 ₩777

354.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.50 ₩12.5K

-62.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.25 ₩1,851

5.60%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$27.2K ₩40.2M

9.04%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$22.1K ₩32.5M

7.27%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$161 ₩237.0K

-48.95%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$35.37 ₩52.2K

-35.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$21.67 ₩32.0K

38.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$47.90 ₩70.7K

8.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$14.88 ₩22.0K

24.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$8.84 ₩13.0K

-43.67%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$421 ₩621.6K

-53.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$23.4K ₩34.5M

-77.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$50.2 ₩74.1K

-29.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$36.53 ₩53.9K

10.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$64.4 ₩94.9K

22.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$101 ₩148.7K

-11.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$457 ₩674.3K

107.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$353 ₩521.3K

34.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$854 ₩1.3M

92.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$595 ₩877.5K

103.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$6,984 ₩10.3M

-41.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$5,742 ₩8.5M

12.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$2,564 ₩3.8M

-74.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.9

192.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $457 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 292% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $52.0 in Gwangju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $409 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Gwangju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 292% lower in Gwangju. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $457 in Gwangju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $52.0 in Gwangju. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,421 in Gwangju – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,421 in Gwangju, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Gwangju. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Gwangju, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Gwangju are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Gwangju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.