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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,484 in Icheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,309 in Icheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,134 in Icheon, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 13% cheaper than Icheon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Icheon is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.14 ₩9,309

91.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$37.09 ₩56.2K

12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.19 ₩9,375

71.89%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.16 ₩6,305

-15.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.26 ₩1,916

19.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.19 ₩1,808

-18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.57 ₩5,404

-17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.92 ₩8,965

-24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.29 ₩3,467

-39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.47 ₩5,264

-45.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.10 ₩4,699

-47.10%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.92 ₩4,429

-14.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.37 ₩15.7K

-19.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.34 ₩12.6K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$28.00 ₩42.4K

-61.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$8.30 ₩12.6K

-68.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$3.24 ₩4,912

-54.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$7.46 ₩11.3K

-74.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$5.37 ₩8,138

-61.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$5.22 ₩7,915

-65.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.96 ₩4,492

-26.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.09 ₩3,165

-50.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.15 ₩1,750

-6.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.33 ₩5,043

22.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$16.87 ₩25.6K

-38.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.75 ₩2,648

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.30 ₩5,005

-21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.07 ₩1,617

-52.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.58 ₩5,423

-8.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.79 ₩1,200

215.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$16.71 ₩25.3K

-80.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.22 ₩1,850

7.38%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$27.7K ₩42.0M

9.36%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.7K ₩37.4M

-5.19%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$188 ₩285.4K

-56.00%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$49.55 ₩75.1K

-55.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.49 ₩41.7K

6.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$22.22 ₩33.7K

132.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.20 ₩17.0K

-54.73%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$492 ₩745.9K

-59.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$13.9K ₩21.0M

-62.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$104 ₩157.7K

-64.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$48.20 ₩73.0K

-17.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$86.6 ₩131.2K

-9.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$118 ₩178.7K

-26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$739 ₩1.1M

31.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$377 ₩570.5K

24.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,072 ₩1.6M

53.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$776 ₩1.2M

57.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$10.5K ₩15.9M

-62.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$5,848 ₩8.9M

11.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,068 ₩3.1M

-67.90%

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 Icheon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $739 in Icheon. 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 211% higher in Icheon, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Icheon. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $449 in Icheon – 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 Icheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Icheon is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,226 in Icheon. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $37.00 in Icheon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% more in Icheon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Icheon at $1,484. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Icheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Icheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.