Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Songdo-dong Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Songdo-dong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,426 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,255 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,084 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 11% cheaper than Songdo-dong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Songdo-dong is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.49 ₩11.4K

58.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$54.0 ₩82.1K

-20.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.30 ₩9,560

69.05%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.69 ₩5,601

-6.50%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.13 ₩1,719

32.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.70 ₩1,057

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.00 ₩4,561

1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$5.77 ₩8,757

-20.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.22 ₩3,368

-37.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.46 ₩5,254

-46.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.20 ₩4,865

-49.69%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.05 ₩4,624

-15.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$14.46 ₩22.0K

-42.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$8.21 ₩12.5K

1.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$34.48 ₩52.4K

-69.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.59 ₩5,455

-26.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.88 ₩4,381

-48.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$5.54 ₩8,417

-65.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$6.52 ₩9,900

-67.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.61 ₩3,965

-28.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.60 ₩3,942

-13.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.59 ₩3,939

-59.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.21 ₩1,833

-9.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.39 ₩5,154

22.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$13.12 ₩19.9K

-20.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.22 ₩3,375

-22.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.35 ₩5,085

-22.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.85 ₩1,288

-36.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.55 ₩5,397

-11.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.53 ₩808

373.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$8.59 ₩13.0K

-63.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.19 ₩1,807

6.72%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$27.5K ₩41.8M

10.33%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$25.3K ₩38.4M

-6.90%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$166 ₩251.4K

-49.86%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$34.27 ₩52.0K

-33.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$22.16 ₩33.7K

32.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$74.2 ₩112.7K

-31.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$10.92 ₩16.6K

-54.85%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$368 ₩558.8K

-46.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$23.3K ₩35.4M

-77.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$60.0 ₩91.1K

-38.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$47.61 ₩72.3K

-16.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$37.43 ₩56.8K

113.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$117 ₩177.0K

-23.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$461 ₩699.5K

107.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$371 ₩563.7K

28.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,113 ₩1.7M

47.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$769 ₩1.2M

59.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$2,999 ₩4.6M

-77.76%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Songdo-dong: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $461 in Songdo-dong. 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 350% higher in Songdo-dong, 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 $54.0 in Songdo-dong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $442 – 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 Songdo-dong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Songdo-dong is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,139 in Songdo-dong. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,426 in Songdo-dong. 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 $368 in Songdo-dong. 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 $1,271, than in Songdo-dong at $1,426. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Songdo-dong 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, Songdo-dong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.