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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,444 in Ulsan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,188 in Ulsan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,932 in Ulsan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 10% cheaper than Ulsan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Ulsan is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.46 ₩9,791

81.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$29.90 ₩45.3K

39.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.83 ₩7,313

120.29%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.15 ₩4,766

11.75%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.12 ₩1,691

34.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.39 ₩591

148.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.60 ₩3,935

13.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.29 ₩4,984

35.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.74 ₩2,640

-20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.19 ₩3,315

-13.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.79 ₩2,717

-8.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.88 ₩4,362

-12.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.55 ₩16.0K

-20.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.30 ₩12.6K

0.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$27.12 ₩41.1K

-60.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$7.16 ₩10.8K

-63.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$3.28 ₩4,975

-55.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$7.29 ₩11.0K

-73.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.43 ₩6,712

-53.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.74 ₩5,662

-52.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.47 ₩3,738

-11.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.08 ₩3,151

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.90 ₩1,365

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.32 ₩5,032

22.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$16.65 ₩25.2K

-38.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.69 ₩2,560

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.47 ₩5,260

-25.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.94 ₩1,418

-45.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.40 ₩3,630

35.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.79 ₩1,191

215.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$16.48 ₩25.0K

-80.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.18 ₩1,785

11.02%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$27.6K ₩41.9M

9.59%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$25.2K ₩38.2M

-7.02%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$187 ₩283.3K

-55.67%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$50.3 ₩76.2K

-55.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.92 ₩42.3K

5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$59.4 ₩90.0K

-13.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$10.27 ₩15.6K

-50.63%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$252 ₩382.6K

-20.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$13.9K ₩21.0M

-62.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$102 ₩154.3K

-63.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$47.53 ₩72.0K

-16.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$87.0 ₩131.7K

-9.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$115 ₩174.9K

-24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$275 ₩416.9K

253.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$371 ₩562.0K

26.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,055 ₩1.6M

55.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$764 ₩1.2M

59.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,918 ₩5.9M

0.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$2,353 ₩3.6M

176.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,022 ₩3.1M

-67.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $275 in Ulsan. 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 204% higher in Ulsan, 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 $30.00 in Ulsan. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $403 in Ulsan – 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 Ulsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulsan is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,166 in Ulsan. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,444 in Ulsan. 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 $252 in Ulsan. 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 $1,297, than in Ulsan at $1,444. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulsan 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, Ulsan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.