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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,166 in Atsugi versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,863 in Atsugi versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,560 in Atsugi versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Atsugi costs roughly 10% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Atsugi 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 ¥1,310

$11.73 MX$203

-30.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.23 ¥4,355

$41.62 MX$721

-34.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 ¥1,017

$10.64 MX$184

-40.23%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ¥324

$3.52 MX$61.0

-42.61%

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

$1.05 ¥168

$1.51 MX$26.17

-30.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥121

$0.97 MX$16.87

-22.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 ¥469

$2.95 MX$51.1

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ¥505

$4.45 MX$77.2

-29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.38 MX$23.97

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ¥290

$1.89 MX$32.78

-4.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.95 ¥792

$1.64 MX$28.37

201.83%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥346

$2.51 MX$43.42

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.46 ¥2,793

$8.34 MX$145

109.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 ¥756

$8.34 MX$145

-43.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 ¥2,520

$10.73 MX$186

46.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 ¥902

$2.60 MX$45.12

116.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ¥334

$1.46 MX$25.25

43.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 ¥656

$1.90 MX$32.94

115.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 ¥476

$2.08 MX$35.98

43.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 ¥420

$1.78 MX$30.77

47.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 ¥322

$2.19 MX$37.87

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥212

$1.04 MX$18.02

27.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥150

$1.08 MX$18.66

-12.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 ¥558

$4.08 MX$70.7

-14.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 ¥1,478

$10.32 MX$179

-10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥285

$1.71 MX$29.67

4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ¥378

$2.58 MX$44.63

-8.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.90 ¥464

$0.51 MX$8.83

468.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.59 ¥7,772

$26.46 MX$459

83.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ¥570

$3.26 MX$56.5

9.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 ¥483

$2.49 MX$43.17

21.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥1,652

$3.25 MX$56.3

217.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.31 MX$22.65

-9.16%

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

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-54.43%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-28.85%

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

$143 ¥22.9K

$82.9 MX$1,436

72.39%

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

$15.29 ¥2,446

$22.22 MX$385

-31.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,358

$29.34 MX$508

14.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 ¥11.0K

$51.6 MX$895

32.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.98 ¥2,236

$18.32 MX$317

-23.69%

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,962

$5.07 MX$87.8

142.01%

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

$343 ¥54.8K

$201 MX$3,480

70.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,697 ¥1.1M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

28.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.62 ¥6,817

$36.92 MX$640

15.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.52 ¥4,081

$39.79 MX$689

-35.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.9 ¥8,937

$78.5 MX$1,360

-28.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.15 ¥5,462

$87.1 MX$1,509

-60.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 ¥67.4K

$973 MX$16.9K

-56.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 ¥44.0K

$468 MX$8,105

-41.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 ¥137.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-47.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ¥103.9K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-46.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,656 ¥584.7K

$664 MX$11.5K

450.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

11.42

-84.41%

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

Last update for Atsugi: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $421 in Atsugi and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atsugi pays 451% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Atsugi vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $319 vs $249, 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

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

Atsugi and Playa del Carmen differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,166 vs $1,297 including rent). Atsugi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Atsugi pays 451% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $421 in Atsugi versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Atsugi – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,166 per month in Atsugi versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,166 in Atsugi versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Atsugi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Atsugi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Atsugi and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Atsugi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.