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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,664 per month in Seongnam vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,474 per month in Seongnam vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,283 per month in Seongnam vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Seongnam costs about 32% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seongnam sits 25% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.81 ₩8,359

$11.72 MX$203

-50.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.83 ₩60.2K

$41.89 MX$725

-0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.43 ₩6,376

$10.51 MX$182

-57.85%

Cappuccino

$3.97 ₩5,705

$3.59 MX$62.0

10.58%

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

$1.53 ₩2,199

$1.51 MX$26.10

1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₩1,138

$0.92 MX$15.83

-14.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ₩3,806

$2.96 MX$51.2

-10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 ₩5,151

$4.41 MX$76.3

-18.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,074

$1.40 MX$24.16

52.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 ₩2,962

$1.88 MX$32.60

9.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,522

$1.56 MX$26.97

101.28%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,588

$2.61 MX$45.14

22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ₩13.4K

$8.32 MX$144

12.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 ₩11.2K

$8.35 MX$145

-6.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.54 ₩48.2K

$10.86 MX$188

208.84%

Apples (1kg)

$7.50 ₩10.8K

$2.71 MX$46.93

176.75%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩4,976

$1.51 MX$26.04

129.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 ₩8,113

$1.87 MX$32.41

201.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 ₩9,490

$2.19 MX$37.89

201.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.51 ₩5,044

$1.86 MX$32.14

88.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,102

$2.23 MX$38.59

27.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 ₩3,604

$1.07 MX$18.48

134.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₩1,382

$1.09 MX$18.79

-11.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩4,878

$4.19 MX$72.4

-19.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.05 ₩24.5K

$10.43 MX$180

63.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,662

$1.66 MX$28.68

11.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₩2,671

$2.61 MX$45.19

-28.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,575

$0.54 MX$9.37

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩5,228

$3.08 MX$53.3

18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩769

$2.40 MX$41.61

-77.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.89 ₩12.8K

$3.13 MX$54.1

184.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₩1,708

$1.31 MX$22.69

-9.16%

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

$27.2K ₩39.1M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-8.75%

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

$25.2K ₩36.2M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

8.01%

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

$167 ₩239.5K

$81.3 MX$1,406

104.91%

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

$34.40 ₩49.5K

$22.56 MX$390

52.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 ₩31.6K

$30.05 MX$520

-26.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.71 ₩68.6K

$52.9 MX$915

-9.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩16.1K

$4.92 MX$85.1

127.64%

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

$413 ₩593.6K

$201 MX$3,474

105.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K ₩33.4M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

349.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ₩83.5K

$35.92 MX$622

61.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.33 ₩68.1K

$40.13 MX$694

17.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₩115.7K

$79.7 MX$1,379

0.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩169.0K

$86.5 MX$1,496

35.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 ₩636.4K

$978 MX$16.9K

-54.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 ₩964.7K

$470 MX$8,140

42.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 ₩1.5M

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-35.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₩1.5M

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-16.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,307 ₩10.5M

$3,953 MX$68.4K

84.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,184 ₩7.5M

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-21.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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 Seongnam: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Seongnam versus $978 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Seongnam versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $434 in Seongnam vs $252 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

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

Yes – Seongnam is pricier by about 32%, 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 $2,496 per month in Seongnam and $1,890 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 $1,664 in Seongnam and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $413 per month in Seongnam and $201 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 $1,260, than in Seongnam at $1,664. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seongnam 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, Seongnam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.