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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $737 in Ongjin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,158 in Ongjin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,580 in Ongjin.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 76% more expensive than Ongjin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ongjin 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.92 $2.92

301.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$22.93 $22.93

81.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.31 $8.31

28.04%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.17 $1.17

200.85%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.01 $1.01

49.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.04 $1.04

-6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$7.03 $7.03

-58.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.33 $2.33

90.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.90 $0.90

53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.64 $1.64

15.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.38 $2.38

-31.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.31 $3.31

-24.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.70 $4.70

77.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$2.32 $2.32

259.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$5.91 $5.91

81.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$6.82 $6.82

-61.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$4.73 $4.73

-69.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.36 $2.36

-19.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.34 $2.34

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$3.54 $3.54

-49.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$3.44 $3.44

-36.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.25 $2.25

-53.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.47 $0.47

129.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.66 $4.66

-12.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.94 $7.94

29.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.14 $1.14

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.33 $2.33

10.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.06 $1.06

-51.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$41.13 $41.13

-35.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.52 $1.52

114.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.12 $2.12

17.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$42.31 $42.31

-92.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.78 $0.78

67.95%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$23.5K $23.5K

28.60%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$29.2K $29.2K

-19.88%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$34.86 $34.86

137.72%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$11.43 $11.43

94.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$46.48 $46.48

-36.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$43.14 $43.14

19.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.32 $15.32

19.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$7.98 $7.98

-36.47%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$112 $112

80.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,189 $2,189

138.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$22.78 $22.78

62.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$28.77 $28.77

38.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$63.5 $63.5

23.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$87.9 $87.9

-0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$91.3 $91.3

964.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$94.0 $94.0

397.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,336 $2,336

-29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$140 $140

772.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,783 $1,783

121.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,452 $1,452

347.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$216 $216

207.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.11

60.62%

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 Ongjin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $91.3 in Ongjin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 208% 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 $23.00 in Ongjin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $234 per month, with Ongjin 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 Ongjin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ongjin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 208% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $91.3 in Ongjin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ongjin – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $737 in Ongjin versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ongjin but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ongjin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ongjin 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 Ongjin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.