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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,219 in Amagasaki versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,922 in Amagasaki versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,626 in Amagasaki versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Amagasaki costs roughly 4% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Amagasaki 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amagasaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.54 ¥1,022
$11.60 MX$199
-43.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.57 ¥5,711
$47.11 MX$809
-22.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.86 ¥759
$11.88 MX$204
-59.09%
Cappuccino
$2.96 ¥462
$3.98 MX$68.2
-25.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 ¥200
$1.43 MX$24.49
-10.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ¥114
$0.82 MX$14.16
-10.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 ¥417
$3.19 MX$54.7
-16.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55 ¥554
$6.79 MX$117
-47.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amagasaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 ¥203
$1.68 MX$28.76
-22.62%
White Bread (500g)
$1.70 ¥265
$2.20 MX$37.71
-22.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.07 ¥636
$1.71 MX$29.32
138.01%
Eggs
$2.08 ¥324
$2.74 MX$47.05
-24.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.87 ¥1,541
$9.58 MX$164
3.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.11 ¥953
$9.01 MX$155
-32.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.26 ¥2,539
$12.81 MX$220
26.93%
Apples (1kg)
$4.59 ¥716
$2.89 MX$49.58
58.82%
Banana (1kg)
$2.73 ¥426
$1.50 MX$25.70
82.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.92 ¥457
$2.15 MX$36.87
35.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.78 ¥591
$2.26 MX$38.79
67.26%
Potato (1kg)
$2.52 ¥394
$1.98 MX$34.00
27.27%
Onion (1kg)
$2.25 ¥352
$1.99 MX$34.15
13.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 ¥210
$1.23 MX$21.18
9.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ¥127
$1.20 MX$20.54
-32.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50 ¥703
$4.55 MX$78.1
-1.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.34 ¥1,302
$10.37 MX$178
-19.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97 ¥307
$1.62 MX$27.79
21.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 ¥359
$2.88 MX$49.44
-20.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Amagasaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.61 ¥251
$0.60 MX$10.30
168.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.5 ¥8,981
$28.80 MX$494
99.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.83 ¥442
$5.39 MX$92.5
-47.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.11 ¥486
$3.73 MX$64.0
-16.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.40 ¥3,498
$5.77 MX$99.0
288.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 ¥166
$1.54 MX$26.37
-31.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2K ¥3.5M
$22.5K MX$387.0K
-1.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.3K ¥2.5M
$26.1K MX$447.3K
-37.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amagasaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$119 ¥18.6K
$91.4 MX$1,569
30.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.38 ¥4,120
$25.20 MX$433
4.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.92 ¥5,141
$31.24 MX$536
5.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amagasaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.2 ¥7,840
$67.2 MX$1,154
-25.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.11 MX$500
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.90 ¥1,702
$4.86 MX$83.5
124.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amagasaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$545 ¥85.0K
$224 MX$3,839
143.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.0K ¥2.0M
$4,229 MX$72.6K
207.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amagasaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.52 ¥7,577
$47.10 MX$808
3.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.54 ¥5,550
$44.29 MX$760
-19.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.2 ¥10.5K
$80.1 MX$1,375
-16.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 ¥14.0K
$92.7 MX$1,591
-3.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amagasaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$556 ¥86.8K
$1,063 MX$18.2K
-47.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$324 ¥50.6K
$390 MX$6,698
-16.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,036 ¥161.8K
$2,149 MX$36.9K
-51.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$840 ¥131.1K
$1,272 MX$21.8K
-34.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,332 ¥520.3K
$4,001 MX$68.7K
-16.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,677 ¥261.8K
$6,502 MX$111.6K
-74.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amagasaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,097 ¥483.6K
$758 MX$13.0K
308.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.09
11.45
-81.75%

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

Last update for Amagasaki: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $556 in Amagasaki and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amagasaki pays 308% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Amagasaki vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $276, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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
Amagasaki vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Amagasaki and in Playa del Carmen?
Amagasaki and Playa del Carmen differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,219 vs $1,266 including rent). Amagasaki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Amagasaki or Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 308% higher in Amagasaki, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Amagasaki and in Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $556 in Amagasaki versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Amagasaki – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,219 in Amagasaki versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Amagasaki but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Amagasaki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Amagasaki and Playa del Carmen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Amagasaki or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Amagasaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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