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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,361 in Suwon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,126 in Suwon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,892 in Suwon, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 7% cheaper than Suwon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Suwon is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.36 ₩11.2K

61.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$29.01 ₩44.1K

47.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.07 ₩7,692

110.06%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.52 ₩5,344

-1.99%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.54 ₩2,342

-2.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.68 ₩1,027

39.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.65 ₩5,536

-16.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.31 ₩6,540

6.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.25 ₩3,424

-38.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.15 ₩3,272

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.19 ₩4,851

-49.53%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.36 ₩3,579

9.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.19 ₩17.0K

-26.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$10.91 ₩16.6K

-23.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.71 ₩17.8K

-8.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$5.65 ₩8,573

-53.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.90 ₩4,400

-48.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$5.42 ₩8,225

-64.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.54 ₩3,860

-17.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.94 ₩5,983

-52.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.26 ₩3,431

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.53 ₩3,835

-58.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.92 ₩1,394

18.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.22 ₩4,884

28.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$11.88 ₩18.0K

-12.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.03 ₩3,081

-15.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.26 ₩3,428

15.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.16 ₩1,754

-53.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$47.90 ₩72.7K

-43.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.80 ₩4,252

11.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.57 ₩860

340.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$8.70 ₩13.2K

-63.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.20 ₩1,823

5.83%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$28.2K ₩42.9M

7.58%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$13.5K ₩20.5M

74.30%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$163 ₩248.2K

-49.21%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$34.65 ₩52.6K

-34.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$22.64 ₩34.4K

30.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$46.08 ₩70.0K

10.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$14.48 ₩22.0K

26.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$10.86 ₩16.5K

-54.60%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$412 ₩626.2K

-52.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$23.9K ₩36.3M

-77.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$34.48 ₩52.4K

7.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$47.48 ₩72.1K

-15.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$78.5 ₩119.2K

1.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$27.57 ₩41.9K

224.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$442 ₩671.4K

116.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$443 ₩673.4K

7.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$919 ₩1.4M

79.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$864 ₩1.3M

41.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$10.5K ₩16.0M

-62.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$6,492 ₩9.9M

-0.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$2,123 ₩3.2M

-68.59%

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 Suwon: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $442 in Suwon. 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 218% higher in Suwon, 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 $29.00 in Suwon. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $345 in Suwon – 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 Suwon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Suwon 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,041 in Suwon. 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 $1,361 in Suwon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 78% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Suwon at $1,361. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Suwon 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, Suwon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.