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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,401 in Gwangju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,181 in Gwangju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,962 in Gwangju.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 7% less than in Gwangju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Gwangju is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.40 ₩11.3K

58.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$52.4 ₩80.2K

-20.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.78 ₩8,848

84.08%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.97 ₩6,075

-11.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.51 ₩2,319

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.68 ₩1,046

42.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.90 ₩4,443

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.64 ₩5,572

22.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.79 ₩2,748

-22.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.34 ₩3,578

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.12 ₩4,784

-47.44%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.63 ₩4,023

-4.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.20 ₩11.0K

15.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.39 ₩11.3K

12.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$33.61 ₩51.5K

-68.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$7.89 ₩12.1K

-67.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$3.50 ₩5,357

-58.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$5.61 ₩8,595

-66.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$5.62 ₩8,610

-62.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$3.96 ₩6,063

-55.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.48 ₩3,802

-11.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.59 ₩3,973

-59.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.19 ₩1,829

-9.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.38 ₩5,179

20.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$10.21 ₩15.6K

1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.62 ₩2,478

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.29 ₩3,513

12.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.93 ₩1,429

-45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$67.3 ₩103.2K

-60.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.89 ₩4,432

12.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.53 ₩810

369.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$8.49 ₩13.0K

-61.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.25 ₩1,919

4.80%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$28.0K ₩42.8M

8.31%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$21.9K ₩33.6M

6.96%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$163 ₩249.2K

-49.06%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$34.24 ₩52.5K

-35.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$22.42 ₩34.4K

30.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$48.51 ₩74.3K

6.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.94 ₩22.9K

22.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$8.71 ₩13.3K

-41.79%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$418 ₩639.9K

-51.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$23.8K ₩36.5M

-78.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$49.40 ₩75.7K

-25.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$37.15 ₩56.9K

7.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$64.2 ₩98.3K

22.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$99.9 ₩153.1K

-12.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$460 ₩704.2K

111.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$358 ₩548.4K

30.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$838 ₩1.3M

95.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$597 ₩914.0K

104.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$7,020 ₩10.8M

-43.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$5,734 ₩8.8M

13.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,483 ₩3.8M

-73.26%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $460 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 274% 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 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Gwangju earns 274% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $460 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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,401 in Gwangju – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,401 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 8% less than in Gwangju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.