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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,296 per month in Fukuoka vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,055 per month in Fukuoka vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,814 per month in Fukuoka vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Fukuoka costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Fukuoka and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Fukuoka 4% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 ¥1,364

$11.87 MX$204

-28.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.84 ¥6,692

$42.90 MX$736

-2.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 ¥967

$10.65 MX$183

-43.19%

Cappuccino

$3.14 ¥502

$3.45 MX$59.2

-8.99%

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

$1.03 ¥165

$1.50 MX$25.81

-31.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥132

$0.95 MX$16.28

-12.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 ¥273

$3.03 MX$51.9

-43.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥325

$4.61 MX$79.1

-55.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.38 MX$23.61

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥264

$1.85 MX$31.70

-10.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.19 ¥670

$1.61 MX$27.65

160.25%

Eggs

$2.54 ¥405

$2.59 MX$44.51

-1.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.95 ¥3,350

$8.26 MX$142

153.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 ¥1,009

$8.37 MX$144

-24.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.70 ¥3,310

$10.66 MX$183

94.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 ¥501

$2.63 MX$45.12

19.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥227

$1.49 MX$25.53

-4.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 ¥228

$1.92 MX$32.94

-25.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.74 ¥917

$2.09 MX$35.81

174.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ¥441

$1.86 MX$31.88

48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 ¥507

$2.26 MX$38.81

40.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ¥145

$1.06 MX$18.23

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥129

$1.09 MX$18.67

-26.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 ¥624

$4.15 MX$71.2

-6.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.32 ¥1,011

$10.39 MX$178

-39.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥306

$1.72 MX$29.59

11.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥335

$2.61 MX$44.85

-19.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 ¥294

$0.54 MX$9.30

240.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.95 ¥6,869

$26.94 MX$462

59.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 ¥734

$3.13 MX$53.7

46.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.39 ¥702

$2.51 MX$43.09

74.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.92 ¥3,186

$3.15 MX$54.1

532.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.27 MX$21.88

-3.15%

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-23.61%

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

$20.2K ¥3.2M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-14.49%

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

$214 ¥34.2K

$83.0 MX$1,425

157.90%

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

$27.55 ¥4,407

$22.71 MX$390

21.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.16 ¥5,784

$29.46 MX$506

22.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 ¥9,564

$51.0 MX$875

17.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.37 ¥539

$18.33 MX$315

-81.61%

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 ¥2,247

$4.93 MX$84.5

184.99%

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

$417 ¥66.6K

$197 MX$3,386

111.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K ¥2.2M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

156.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.82 ¥6,848

$36.90 MX$633

16.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.60 ¥4,734

$39.89 MX$685

-25.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 ¥10.5K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-17.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.5 ¥9,671

$89.5 MX$1,536

-32.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 ¥87.5K

$956 MX$16.4K

-42.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ¥47.9K

$477 MX$8,189

-37.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 ¥167.3K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-36.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 ¥110.6K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-43.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,314 ¥1.0M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

61.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,704 ¥432.6K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-58.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,529 ¥244.5K

$667 MX$11.4K

129.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

11.42

-85.38%

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

Last update for Fukuoka: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Fukuoka 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 129% higher in Fukuoka, 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 $42.00 in Fukuoka versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $329 in Fukuoka 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,296 in Fukuoka, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 2% apart. Fukuoka costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,944 per month in Fukuoka 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.

Kindergarten costs $417 per month in Fukuoka and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Fukuoka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Fukuoka at $1,296. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fukuoka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Fukuoka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $1,296 in Fukuoka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Fukuoka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.