Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pyeongtaek and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,452 in Pyeongtaek, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

70

Cost of Living Index in Pyeongtaek
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Pyeongtaek Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Pyeongtaek

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,452

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pyeongtaek and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pyeongtaek and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,452 per month in Pyeongtaek vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pyeongtaek $1,452
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,876 per month in Pyeongtaek vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pyeongtaek $2,876
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $4,300 per month in Pyeongtaek vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pyeongtaek $4,300
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Pyeongtaek costs about 21% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Pyeongtaek sits 7% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 ₩9,993

$10.92 MX$205

-31.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.56 ₩30.1K

$43.37 MX$814

-47.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ₩6,442

$11.78 MX$221

-59.00%

Cappuccino

$3.62 ₩4,834

$3.81 MX$71.5

-4.99%

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

$1.28 ₩1,716

$1.28 MX$24.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₩1,175

$0.78 MX$14.70

12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ₩4,907

$3.17 MX$59.5

16.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₩5,816

$4.93 MX$92.7

-11.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 ₩3,061

$1.41 MX$26.40

62.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 ₩4,398

$2.22 MX$41.62

48.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 ₩4,249

$1.42 MX$26.61

123.94%

Eggs

$2.62 ₩3,500

$2.52 MX$47.36

3.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 ₩15.1K

$7.26 MX$136

55.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.41 ₩13.9K

$7.70 MX$144

35.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.15 ₩33.6K

$12.69 MX$238

98.19%

Apples (1kg)

$11.18 ₩14.9K

$2.78 MX$52.3

302.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.72 ₩4,965

$1.37 MX$25.68

171.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.24 ₩11.0K

$2.55 MX$47.89

223.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.09 ₩8,129

$2.12 MX$39.86

187.26%

Potato (1kg)

$6.03 ₩8,049

$1.94 MX$36.39

210.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 ₩4,370

$1.89 MX$35.41

73.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 ₩3,669

$1.15 MX$21.53

139.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₩1,814

$1.18 MX$22.13

15.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 ₩4,636

$4.30 MX$80.6

-19.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.22 ₩25.7K

$9.95 MX$187

93.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₩3,342

$1.58 MX$29.73

58.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₩4,559

$2.67 MX$50.1

27.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 ₩1,683

$0.55 MX$10.39

129.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.32 ₩61.8K

$26.62 MX$500

74.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩4,861

$4.97 MX$93.3

-26.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₩793

$3.33 MX$62.5

-82.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.26 ₩12.4K

$5.36 MX$101

72.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ₩1,891

$1.44 MX$27.11

-1.39%

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

$15.1K ₩20.2M

$20.7K MX$388.0K

-26.81%

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

$15.3K ₩20.5M

$23.5K MX$440.5K

-34.63%

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

$201 ₩268.8K

$84.8 MX$1,592

137.45%

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

$17.22 ₩23.0K

$23.41 MX$439

-26.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.39 ₩36.6K

$28.66 MX$538

-4.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,071

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$543

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 ₩15.9K

$5.14 MX$96.5

131.91%

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

$634 ₩846.4K

$207 MX$3,878

206.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K ₩29.0M

$3,927 MX$73.7K

452.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 ₩143.1K

$43.35 MX$814

147.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 ₩86.5K

$41.44 MX$778

56.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ₩128.2K

$74.2 MX$1,393

29.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₩173.0K

$89.3 MX$1,676

45.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 ₩699.5K

$980 MX$18.4K

-46.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₩401.1K

$381 MX$7,150

-21.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 ₩2.5M

$1,708 MX$32.1K

11.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 ₩2.5M

$1,075 MX$20.2K

77.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,912 ₩2.6M

$735 MX$13.8K

160.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

11.45

-63.14%

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

Last update for Pyeongtaek: October 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Pyeongtaek

$492 33.9%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 48.2% $237

Accommodation & Living

Pyeongtaek

$300 20.7%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 26.7% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pyeongtaek

$246 16.9%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 44.4% $109

Clothing & Footwear

Pyeongtaek

$179 12.3%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 37.6% $67

Eating Out

Pyeongtaek

$154 10.6%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 31.8% $49

Getting Around

Pyeongtaek

$58 4%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 13% $7.5

Sport & Entertainment

Pyeongtaek

$24 * 1.6%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 182% $43

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $524 in Pyeongtaek versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Pyeongtaek are about 2.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Pyeongtaek versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $492 in Pyeongtaek vs $255 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Pyeongtaek

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

18:39 6:39 PM

04:39 4:39 AM

14 h behind Pyeongtaek

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

489,081

149,923

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1,335 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD). 1 EUR = 1,491 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pyeongtaek Playa del Carmen 12,670 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Pyeongtaek
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Pyeongtaek vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pyeongtaek is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,179 per month in Pyeongtaek and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pyeongtaek, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $524 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,452 in Pyeongtaek and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 17% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,452 in Pyeongtaek. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pyeongtaek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.