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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,361 per month in Suwon vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

A family of three spends $2,892 per month in Suwon vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Suwon costs about 7% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Suwon sits 1% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 ₩11.2K

$11.87 MX$204

-37.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.01 ₩44.1K

$42.90 MX$736

-32.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ₩7,692

$10.65 MX$183

-52.39%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ₩5,344

$3.45 MX$59.2

2.03%

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

$1.54 ₩2,342

$1.50 MX$25.81

2.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₩1,027

$0.95 MX$16.28

-28.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,536

$3.03 MX$51.9

20.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 ₩6,540

$4.61 MX$79.1

-6.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₩3,424

$1.38 MX$23.61

63.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 ₩3,272

$1.85 MX$31.70

16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 ₩4,851

$1.61 MX$27.65

98.14%

Eggs

$2.36 ₩3,579

$2.59 MX$44.51

-8.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 ₩17.0K

$8.26 MX$142

35.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 ₩16.6K

$8.37 MX$144

30.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.71 ₩17.8K

$10.66 MX$183

9.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.65 ₩8,573

$2.63 MX$45.12

114.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,400

$1.49 MX$25.53

94.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 ₩8,225

$1.92 MX$32.94

182.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,860

$2.09 MX$35.81

21.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 ₩5,983

$1.86 MX$31.88

111.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 ₩3,431

$2.26 MX$38.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 ₩3,835

$1.06 MX$18.23

138.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₩1,394

$1.09 MX$18.67

-15.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₩4,884

$4.15 MX$71.2

-22.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 ₩18.0K

$10.39 MX$178

14.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₩3,081

$1.72 MX$29.59

18.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₩3,428

$2.61 MX$44.85

-13.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ₩1,754

$0.54 MX$9.30

114.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.90 ₩72.7K

$26.94 MX$462

77.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 ₩4,252

$3.13 MX$53.7

-10.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩860

$2.51 MX$43.09

-77.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 ₩13.2K

$3.15 MX$54.1

176.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,823

$1.27 MX$21.88

-5.51%

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

$28.2K ₩42.9M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-7.04%

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

$13.5K ₩20.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-42.63%

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

$163 ₩248.2K

$83.0 MX$1,425

96.89%

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

$34.65 ₩52.6K

$22.71 MX$390

52.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 ₩34.4K

$29.46 MX$506

-23.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 ₩70.0K

$51.0 MX$875

-9.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.48 ₩22.0K

$18.33 MX$315

-21.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.86 ₩16.5K

$4.93 MX$84.5

120.28%

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

$412 ₩626.2K

$197 MX$3,386

109.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K ₩36.3M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

353.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.48 ₩52.4K

$36.90 MX$633

-6.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.48 ₩72.1K

$39.89 MX$685

19.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 ₩119.2K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.57 ₩41.9K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-69.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 ₩671.4K

$956 MX$16.4K

-53.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ₩673.4K

$477 MX$8,189

-7.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ₩1.4M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-44.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$864 ₩1.3M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-29.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ₩16.0M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

169.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,492 ₩9.9M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

0.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,123 ₩3.2M

$667 MX$11.4K

218.36%

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 Suwon: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Suwon 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 218% higher in Suwon, 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 $29.00 in Suwon versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Suwon 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

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

Yes – Suwon is pricier by about 7%, 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 $2,041 per month in Suwon 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 $1,361 in Suwon and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 78% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Suwon at $1,361. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Suwon 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, Suwon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.