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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,380 per month in Seogwipo vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Seogwipo vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,987 per month in Seogwipo vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Seogwipo costs about 9% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seogwipo sits 3% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 ₩10.9K

$11.87 MX$204

-39.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.12 ₩56.4K

$42.90 MX$736

-13.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 ₩8,403

$10.65 MX$183

-48.08%

Cappuccino

$3.87 ₩5,882

$3.45 MX$59.2

12.17%

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

$1.58 ₩2,405

$1.50 MX$25.81

5.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₩1,223

$0.95 MX$16.28

-14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 ₩4,897

$3.03 MX$51.9

6.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 ₩7,663

$4.61 MX$79.1

9.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,372

$1.38 MX$23.61

60.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 ₩4,550

$1.85 MX$31.70

62.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 ₩4,500

$1.61 MX$27.65

83.85%

Eggs

$2.92 ₩4,439

$2.59 MX$44.51

12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ₩15.7K

$8.26 MX$142

24.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 ₩12.5K

$8.37 MX$144

-1.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.90 ₩42.4K

$10.66 MX$183

161.73%

Apples (1kg)

$7.93 ₩12.0K

$2.63 MX$45.12

201.52%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 ₩4,737

$1.49 MX$25.53

109.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 ₩8,623

$1.92 MX$32.94

195.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 ₩7,933

$2.09 MX$35.81

149.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₩5,852

$1.86 MX$31.88

106.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 ₩4,510

$2.26 MX$38.81

31.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 ₩3,430

$1.06 MX$18.23

113.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,840

$1.09 MX$18.67

11.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,936

$4.15 MX$71.2

-21.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.35 ₩24.8K

$10.39 MX$178

57.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₩2,777

$1.72 MX$29.59

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₩4,849

$2.61 MX$44.85

22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,692

$0.54 MX$9.30

105.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,318

$3.13 MX$53.7

11.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩872

$2.51 MX$43.09

-77.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.60 ₩13.1K

$3.15 MX$54.1

173.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,829

$1.27 MX$21.88

-5.51%

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

$27.8K ₩42.2M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-8.49%

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

$24.7K ₩37.6M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

4.97%

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

$160 ₩243.7K

$83.0 MX$1,425

93.33%

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

$35.18 ₩53.4K

$22.71 MX$390

54.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.32 ₩33.9K

$29.46 MX$506

-24.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.36 ₩73.4K

$51.0 MX$875

-5.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 ₩16.9K

$4.93 MX$84.5

125.35%

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

$418 ₩635.1K

$197 MX$3,386

111.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ₩35.7M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

345.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ₩91.2K

$36.90 MX$633

62.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.04 ₩72.9K

$39.89 MX$685

20.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ₩122.9K

$80.0 MX$1,373

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩179.8K

$89.5 MX$1,536

32.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₩682.3K

$956 MX$16.4K

-53.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ₩578.6K

$477 MX$8,189

-20.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 ₩1.6M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-34.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₩1.2M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-36.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,475 ₩14.4M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

141.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,179 ₩7.9M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-19.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$965 ₩1.5M

$667 MX$11.4K

44.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

11.42

-63.75%

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

Last update for Seogwipo: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Seogwipo versus $956 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 run about 45% higher in Seogwipo, 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 $37.00 in Seogwipo versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $428 in Seogwipo vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – 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

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

Yes – Seogwipo is pricier by about 9%, 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 $2,071 per month in Seogwipo and $1,906 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 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 $1,380 in Seogwipo and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $418 per month in Seogwipo and $197 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Seogwipo at $1,380. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seogwipo 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, Seogwipo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.