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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,664 in Seongnam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,474 in Seongnam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,283 in Seongnam, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 24% cheaper than Seongnam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Seongnam is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$5.81 ₩8,359

101.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$41.83 ₩60.2K

0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.43 ₩6,376

137.25%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.97 ₩5,705

-9.57%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.53 ₩2,199

-1.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.79 ₩1,138

16.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.65 ₩3,806

11.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.58 ₩5,151

23.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.14 ₩3,074

-34.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.06 ₩2,962

-8.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.14 ₩4,522

-50.32%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.19 ₩4,588

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.34 ₩13.4K

-10.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$7.81 ₩11.2K

6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$33.54 ₩48.2K

-67.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$7.50 ₩10.8K

-63.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$3.46 ₩4,976

-56.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$5.64 ₩8,113

-66.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$6.60 ₩9,490

-66.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$3.51 ₩5,044

-47.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.85 ₩4,102

-21.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.51 ₩3,604

-57.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.96 ₩1,382

13.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.39 ₩4,878

23.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$17.05 ₩24.5K

-38.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.85 ₩2,662

-10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.86 ₩2,671

40.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.10 ₩1,575

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.64 ₩5,228

-15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.53 ₩769

352.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$8.89 ₩12.8K

-64.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.19 ₩1,708

10.08%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$27.2K ₩39.1M

9.59%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$25.2K ₩36.2M

-7.42%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$167 ₩239.5K

-51.20%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$34.40 ₩49.5K

-34.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$21.95 ₩31.6K

36.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$47.71 ₩68.6K

10.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$11.20 ₩16.1K

-56.07%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$413 ₩593.6K

-51.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$23.2K ₩33.4M

-77.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$58.1 ₩83.5K

-38.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$47.33 ₩68.1K

-15.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$80.4 ₩115.7K

-0.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$118 ₩169.0K

-26.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$442 ₩636.4K

121.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$671 ₩964.7K

-29.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,073 ₩1.5M

53.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,008 ₩1.5M

19.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$7,307 ₩10.5M

-45.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$5,184 ₩7.5M

27.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.14

175.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Seongnam: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $442 in Seongnam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Seongnam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $434 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Seongnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seongnam is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,496 in Seongnam. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,664 in Seongnam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $413 in Seongnam. 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 $1,260, than in Seongnam at $1,664. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seongnam 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, Seongnam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.