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 $1,306 per month in Fukuoka vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,041 per month in Fukuoka vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,777 per month in Fukuoka vs $3,082 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 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.24 ¥1,319

$11.94 MX$209

-30.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.19 ¥6,753

$42.75 MX$748

-1.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 ¥999

$10.59 MX$185

-41.08%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ¥501

$3.62 MX$63.4

-13.54%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$1.47 MX$25.69

-25.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥125

$0.94 MX$16.51

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 ¥270

$3.09 MX$54.1

-45.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥331

$4.46 MX$78.0

-53.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥274

$1.43 MX$24.94

19.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.88 MX$32.97

-14.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 ¥656

$1.63 MX$28.50

151.53%

Eggs

$2.60 ¥416

$2.64 MX$46.26

-1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.07 ¥3,373

$8.21 MX$144

156.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 ¥979

$8.29 MX$145

-26.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.91 ¥3,347

$11.10 MX$194

88.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 ¥501

$2.65 MX$46.40

18.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥225

$1.50 MX$26.26

-6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ¥216

$1.99 MX$34.79

-32.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 ¥949

$2.08 MX$36.33

185.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 ¥449

$1.79 MX$31.29

56.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 ¥521

$2.18 MX$38.09

49.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ¥155

$1.08 MX$18.84

-10.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥123

$1.04 MX$18.15

-25.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 ¥631

$3.97 MX$69.5

-0.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 ¥1,024

$10.20 MX$179

-37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥321

$1.73 MX$30.22

15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥340

$2.50 MX$43.71

-15.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 ¥290

$0.52 MX$9.07

248.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.35 ¥6,780

$26.97 MX$472

57.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 ¥741

$3.14 MX$55.0

47.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.51 ¥722

$2.40 MX$42.04

87.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.43 ¥3,110

$3.09 MX$54.0

528.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.27 MX$22.28

-3.15%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-26.32%

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

$20.1K ¥3.2M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-13.70%

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

$215 ¥34.5K

$82.0 MX$1,435

162.52%

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

$27.08 ¥4,335

$22.45 MX$393

20.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.39 ¥5,664

$29.66 MX$519

19.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.6 ¥9,386

$51.9 MX$908

13.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.39 ¥543

$18.67 MX$327

-81.84%

Cinema Ticket

$13.91 ¥2,227

$4.97 MX$87.0

179.88%

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

$424 ¥67.8K

$198 MX$3,462

114.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

151.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.07 ¥6,894

$36.34 MX$636

18.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.05 ¥4,811

$40.05 MX$701

-24.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 ¥10.3K

$79.9 MX$1,398

-19.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.5 ¥9,679

$88.9 MX$1,555

-31.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 ¥86.0K

$963 MX$16.9K

-44.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 ¥46.9K

$465 MX$8,133

-36.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 ¥166.2K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-34.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥111.9K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-42.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,288 ¥1.0M

$3,942 MX$69.0K

59.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,673 ¥427.9K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-58.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,547 ¥247.7K

$720 MX$12.6K

114.75%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $537 in Fukuoka versus $963 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 115% 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 – $331 in Fukuoka vs $251 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: $1,306 in Fukuoka, $1,287 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 $1,960 per month in Fukuoka and $1,930 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 $424 per month in Fukuoka and $198 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 $1,287, than in Fukuoka at $1,306. 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,306 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.