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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,342 in Pohang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,006 in Pohang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,670 in Pohang, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Pohang is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.06 ₩7,471

136.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.25 ₩26.9K

128.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.19 ₩9,133

73.67%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.87 ₩4,237

21.95%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.48 ₩2,190

-2.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.48 ₩708

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.62 ₩5,345

-18.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.64 ₩5,370

23.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.80 ₩2,657

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.16 ₩4,660

-41.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.61 ₩3,848

-39.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.99 ₩4,408

-16.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.33 ₩15.2K

-19.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.56 ₩9,672

28.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$27.64 ₩40.8K

-61.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.19 ₩3,228

19.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$3.22 ₩4,755

-55.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$7.26 ₩10.7K

-73.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.50 ₩3,684

-16.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$4.79 ₩7,061

-61.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.94 ₩4,334

-26.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.04 ₩3,016

-49.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.16 ₩1,716

-7.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.25 ₩4,791

26.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.77 ₩8,515

76.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.50 ₩2,206

12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.45 ₩5,085

-26.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.06 ₩1,562

-51.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.44 ₩3,600

32.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.85 ₩1,252

183.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$16.49 ₩24.3K

-80.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.20 ₩1,776

10.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$27.6K ₩40.8M

7.40%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.1K ₩37.1M

-5.88%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$106 ₩155.8K

-22.35%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$51.0 ₩75.3K

-55.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$27.95 ₩41.2K

7.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$29.38 ₩43.3K

76.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$7.13 ₩10.5K

159.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$10.83 ₩16.0K

-54.02%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$498 ₩734.1K

-60.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$14.2K ₩20.9M

-62.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$103 ₩152.0K

-65.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$47.32 ₩69.8K

-14.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$87.9 ₩129.7K

-10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$111 ₩163.6K

-19.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$449 ₩662.3K

110.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$439 ₩647.3K

8.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,047 ₩1.5M

56.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$770 ₩1.1M

57.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,676 ₩3.9M

141.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$2,192 ₩3.2M

-70.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.22

170.62%

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 Pohang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $449 in Pohang. 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 235% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Pohang. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $359 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 7%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,014 in Pohang. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,342 in Pohang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $498 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 $1,256, than in Pohang at $1,342. 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.