🙂A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,640 in Seongnam, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,448 in Seongnam, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,256 in Seongnam, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen is about 22% cheaper than Seongnam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Seongnam is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Seongnam
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$6.04₩8,895
97.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$42.21₩62.2K
1.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$4.44₩6,546
138.51%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$3.76₩5,542
-3.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$1.55₩2,278
-5.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.79₩1,169
18.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$2.50₩3,687
23.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$3.72₩5,488
19.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Seongnam
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$2.14₩3,146
-33.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$2.12₩3,124
-11.32%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$3.22₩4,749
-49.38%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$3.07₩4,526
-14.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$8.96₩13.2K
-8.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$7.78₩11.5K
6.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$33.70₩49.7K
-67.06%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$7.92₩11.7K
-66.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$3.47₩5,106
-56.77%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$5.67₩8,360
-64.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$6.40₩9,427
-67.50%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$3.52₩5,190
-49.15%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$2.88₩4,250
-24.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$2.55₩3,761
-57.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.94₩1,382
10.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$3.38₩4,976
17.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$16.64₩24.5K
-38.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$1.79₩2,644
-3.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$1.88₩2,766
32.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Seongnam
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$1.04₩1,539
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$3.50₩5,164
-10.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$0.57₩846
321.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$8.72₩12.9K
-64.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$1.24₩1,825
2.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$27.8K₩41.0M
11.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$25.1K₩37.0M
-7.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Seongnam
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$163₩239.4K
-49.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$34.58₩50.9K
-35.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$22.44₩33.1K
32.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Seongnam
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$48.10₩70.9K
7.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$10.95₩16.1K
-54.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Seongnam
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$411₩605.7K
-51.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$23.6K₩34.8M
-77.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Seongnam
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$59.5₩87.7K
-38.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$47.41₩69.8K
-15.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$79.3₩116.8K
0.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$117₩171.9K
-23.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Seongnam
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$449₩662.1K
114.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$654₩963.9K
-28.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$1,075₩1.6M
48.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$1,047₩1.5M
15.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
$12.2K₩18.0M
-67.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
$5,803₩8.5M
11.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Seongnam
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
$3,453₩5.1M
-79.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4.14
175.85%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Seongnam: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $449 in Seongnam. 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 379% higher in Seongnam, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Seongnam. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $433 in Seongnam – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Seongnam: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Seongnam cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Seongnam is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,460 in Seongnam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Seongnam?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,640 in Seongnam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $411 in Seongnam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Seongnam?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Seongnam at $1,640. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seongnam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Seongnam more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Seongnam?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seongnam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado