Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulsan and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $1,339 in Ulsan, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. The total is higher in Ulsan despite lower rent and utilities.

65

Cost of Living Index in Ulsan
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Ulsan Living Index
59

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

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Ulsan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,339

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ulsan 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 Ulsan and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,339 per month in Ulsan vs $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ulsan $1,339
Playa del Carmen $1,210

A couple spends around $2,185 per month in Ulsan vs $2,113 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ulsan $2,185
Playa del Carmen $2,113

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Ulsan vs $3,016 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ulsan $3,030
Playa del Carmen $3,016

Ulsan costs about 11% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ulsan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ulsan 1% lower, Playa del Carmen 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.62 ₩10.1K

$10.76 MX$199

-29.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.63 ₩59.3K

$43.03 MX$795

3.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ₩7,882

$11.79 MX$218

-49.70%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ₩4,410

$3.87 MX$71.4

-14.21%

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

$0.88 ₩1,175

$1.37 MX$25.29

-35.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩619

$0.84 MX$15.44

-44.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₩4,006

$3.10 MX$57.3

-2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 ₩5,826

$5.07 MX$93.6

-13.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₩3,139

$1.44 MX$26.55

63.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 ₩4,315

$2.23 MX$41.23

45.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 ₩4,207

$1.47 MX$27.17

114.97%

Eggs

$2.73 ₩3,634

$2.53 MX$46.71

7.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 ₩14.5K

$7.30 MX$135

49.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 ₩14.1K

$7.86 MX$145

35.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.54 ₩32.6K

$12.79 MX$236

91.87%

Apples (1kg)

$11.39 ₩15.1K

$2.90 MX$53.6

292.76%

Banana (1kg)

$3.74 ₩4,975

$1.44 MX$26.53

159.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.09 ₩10.8K

$2.55 MX$47.07

217.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 ₩8,048

$2.06 MX$38.03

193.69%

Potato (1kg)

$6.01 ₩7,992

$2.00 MX$36.97

200.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 ₩4,328

$2.01 MX$37.07

62.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 ₩3,844

$1.19 MX$22.02

142.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,707

$1.26 MX$23.23

1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₩4,154

$4.40 MX$81.4

-29.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.52 ₩24.6K

$9.59 MX$177

93.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₩3,264

$1.59 MX$29.41

54.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ₩4,577

$2.81 MX$51.9

22.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,511

$0.57 MX$10.47

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MX$514

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 ₩3,849

$4.98 MX$92.1

-41.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,040

$3.50 MX$64.6

-77.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.96 ₩22.6K

$5.40 MX$99.8

214.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₩1,899

$1.47 MX$27.08

-2.72%

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

$30.0K ₩39.9M

$21.0K MX$387.8K

43.03%

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

$34.1K ₩45.4M

$23.9K MX$441.8K

42.78%

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

$197 ₩261.8K

$84.2 MX$1,556

133.81%

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

$37.06 ₩49.3K

$23.99 MX$443

54.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩36.2K

$29.02 MX$536

-6.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ₩80.3K

$63.0 MX$1,164

-4.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$539

Cinema Ticket

$10.30 ₩13.7K

$4.94 MX$91.3

108.50%

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

$263 ₩349.3K

$204 MX$3,763

29.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.3M

$3,941 MX$72.8K

459.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 ₩68.5K

$43.60 MX$806

18.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.56 ₩60.6K

$43.12 MX$797

5.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 ₩81.2K

$75.8 MX$1,400

-19.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 ₩99.7K

$88.6 MX$1,637

-15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 ₩495.3K

$1,008 MX$18.6K

-63.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 ₩324.7K

$374 MX$6,911

-34.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 ₩1.0M

$1,708 MX$31.6K

-55.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 ₩861.8K

$1,106 MX$20.4K

-41.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,483 ₩6.0M

$3,944 MX$72.9K

13.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,479 ₩3.3M

$6,169 MX$114.0K

-59.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,331 ₩3.1M

$754 MX$13.9K

209.12%

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 Ulsan: October 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ulsan

$489 36.5%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4% 47.1% $230

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ulsan

$261 19.5%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3% 47.5% $124

Accommodation & Living

Ulsan

$244 18.2%

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9% 53.2% $130

Eating Out

Ulsan

$148 11%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7% 36.8% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Ulsan

$105 7.8%

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3% 7.7% $8.1

Sport & Entertainment

Ulsan

$81 6.1%

Playa del Carmen

$73 6% 10.1% $8.2

Getting Around

Ulsan

$11 * 0.9%

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3% 363% $41

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $373 in Ulsan versus $1,008 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 209% higher in Ulsan, 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 $45.00 in Ulsan versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $489 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Ulsan

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

05:30 5:30 AM

15:30 3:30 PM

14 h behind Ulsan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,129,827

149,923

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 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 October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ulsan Playa del Carmen 12,690 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Ulsan
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

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

Yes – Ulsan is pricier by about 11%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,009 per month in Ulsan and $1,816 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 $1,339 in Ulsan and $1,210 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 11%.

Kindergarten costs $263 per month in Ulsan and $204 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 $1,210, than in Ulsan at $1,339. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulsan 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, Ulsan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.