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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,512 in Yangsan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,315 in Yangsan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,118 in Yangsan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 16% cheaper than Yangsan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Yangsan is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.25 ₩11.0K

63.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$37.21 ₩56.5K

15.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.90 ₩8,956

80.51%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.22 ₩6,408

-18.25%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.89 ₩2,864

-20.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.34 ₩2,036

-29.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.62 ₩5,499

-16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$6.00 ₩9,118

-23.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.27 ₩3,451

-39.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.55 ₩5,386

-47.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.97 ₩4,506

-45.79%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.92 ₩4,438

-11.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.66 ₩16.2K

-22.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$8.15 ₩12.4K

2.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$27.54 ₩41.8K

-61.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$8.28 ₩12.6K

-68.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$3.14 ₩4,772

-52.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$7.33 ₩11.1K

-73.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$5.17 ₩7,849

-59.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$5.10 ₩7,748

-63.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.94 ₩4,460

-23.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.02 ₩3,064

-47.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.20 ₩1,825

-9.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.28 ₩4,988

26.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$16.19 ₩24.6K

-35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.74 ₩2,644

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.47 ₩5,268

-24.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.10 ₩1,671

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.46 ₩5,259

-9.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.79 ₩1,194

217.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$16.25 ₩24.7K

-80.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.17 ₩1,775

8.55%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$27.7K ₩42.0M

9.82%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$25.1K ₩38.1M

-6.09%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$186 ₩282.9K

-55.45%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$51.2 ₩77.8K

-55.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$27.49 ₩41.7K

7.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$47.68 ₩72.4K

6.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$11.47 ₩17.4K

-57.02%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$494 ₩749.8K

-60.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$14.1K ₩21.4M

-62.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$103 ₩156.2K

-64.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$46.77 ₩71.0K

-14.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$87.0 ₩132.1K

-8.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$117 ₩177.8K

-23.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$451 ₩685.1K

111.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$369 ₩560.5K

29.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,053 ₩1.6M

56.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$768 ₩1.2M

59.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$10.5K ₩15.9M

-62.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$5,863 ₩8.9M

10.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,441 ₩2.2M

-53.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.22

170.62%

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 Yangsan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $451 in Yangsan. 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 116% higher in Yangsan, 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 $37.00 in Yangsan. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $444 in Yangsan – 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 Yangsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Yangsan is pricier by about 19%, 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 $2,268 in Yangsan. 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 $1,512 in Yangsan. 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 $494 in Yangsan. 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 Yangsan at $1,512. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yangsan 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, Yangsan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.