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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,343 in Pohang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,635 in Pohang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,927 in Pohang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 6% cheaper than Pohang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Pohang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Pohang 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.11 ₩8,418

89.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$22.23 ₩30.6K

111.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.38 ₩8,796

86.21%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.02 ₩4,156

31.79%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.46 ₩2,009

-2.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.48 ₩663

70.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.78 ₩5,211

-15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.76 ₩5,177

80.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.92 ₩2,640

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.06 ₩4,223

-28.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.61 ₩3,603

-34.48%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.68 ₩3,693

2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.83 ₩14.9K

-11.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.75 ₩9,302

33.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$24.99 ₩34.4K

-48.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.29 ₩3,150

26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.69 ₩5,085

-59.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$7.99 ₩11.0K

-73.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.95 ₩4,060

-23.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$4.84 ₩6,670

-59.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.23 ₩4,454

-38.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.29 ₩3,151

-46.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.34 ₩1,841

-10.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.31 ₩4,559

37.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.65 ₩9,166

55.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.51 ₩2,080

7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.50 ₩4,827

-17.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.29 ₩4,531

63.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.61 ₩837

511.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$16.44 ₩22.7K

-64.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.24 ₩1,706

24.19%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$29.7K ₩40.9M

-24.03%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$28.8K ₩39.6M

-9.41%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$100 ₩137.9K

-8.66%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$35.70 ₩49.2K

-29.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$27.20 ₩37.5K

14.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$30.05 ₩41.4K

123.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$7.40 ₩10.2K

293.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$10.95 ₩15.1K

-55.62%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$624 ₩860.4K

-64.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$21.8K ₩30.1M

-80.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$102 ₩140.5K

-53.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$65.8 ₩90.6K

-32.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$94.3 ₩130.0K

-15.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$114 ₩156.5K

-18.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$446 ₩615.1K

-12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,956 ₩4.1M

119.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,176 ₩3.0M

-65.16%

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 Pohang: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 187% higher in Pohang, 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 $22.00 in Pohang. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $366 in Pohang – 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 Pohang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pohang is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,015 in Pohang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,343 in Pohang. 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 $624 in Pohang. 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 Pohang at $1,343. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pohang 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, Pohang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.