Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fukuyama and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Fukuyama: $1,134 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $840 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Fukuyama
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,134
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,134 in Fukuyama versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Fukuyama $1,134
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,805 in Fukuyama versus $2,102 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Fukuyama $1,805
  • Playa del Carmen $2,102

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,476 in Fukuyama versus $3,000 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Fukuyama $2,476
  • Playa del Carmen $3,000

Living in Fukuyama costs roughly 6% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fukuyama 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fukuyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.51 ¥1,186
$10.86 MX$201
-30.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.20 ¥4,929
$44.21 MX$817
-29.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.90 ¥775
$11.76 MX$217
-58.33%
Cappuccino
$3.27 ¥517
$3.68 MX$68.0
-11.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 ¥132
$1.34 MX$24.79
-38.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 ¥82.7
$0.82 MX$15.24
-36.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.91 ¥302
$3.06 MX$56.6
-37.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 ¥505
$4.94 MX$91.2
-35.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fukuyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 ¥155
$1.47 MX$27.17
-33.33%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 ¥125
$2.22 MX$40.95
-64.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.88 ¥929
$1.48 MX$27.32
297.30%
Eggs
$2.07 ¥326
$2.49 MX$45.99
-16.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.75 ¥1,382
$7.52 MX$139
16.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.39 ¥535
$7.96 MX$147
-57.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.76 ¥1,700
$12.57 MX$232
-14.40%
Apples (1kg)
$4.99 ¥788
$2.78 MX$51.3
79.50%
Banana (1kg)
$2.33 ¥369
$1.43 MX$26.37
62.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.95 ¥782
$2.62 MX$48.37
88.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.66 ¥578
$2.14 MX$39.49
71.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 ¥296
$2.02 MX$37.38
-7.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 ¥259
$1.99 MX$36.74
-17.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 ¥157
$1.14 MX$21.01
-13.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39 ¥62.4
$1.20 MX$22.18
-67.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.85 ¥608
$4.26 MX$78.7
-9.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.75 ¥1,224
$10.02 MX$185
-22.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 ¥259
$1.54 MX$28.41
6.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 ¥503
$2.66 MX$49.17
19.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Fukuyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ¥229
$0.53 MX$9.73
173.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ¥8,358
$27.51 MX$508
92.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.39 ¥535
$4.90 MX$90.6
-30.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.82 ¥603
$3.43 MX$63.5
11.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.88 ¥4,563
$5.38 MX$99.4
436.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.02 ¥162
$1.45 MX$26.76
-29.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.4K ¥2.0M
$21.2K MX$391.0K
-41.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.5K ¥2.4M
$23.0K MX$425.3K
-32.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fukuyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 ¥16.3K
$85.4 MX$1,577
20.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.57 ¥2,934
$23.46 MX$434
-20.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.10 ¥4,755
$28.43 MX$525
5.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fukuyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.1 ¥8,072
$62.2 MX$1,149
-17.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$1.92 ¥304
$28.68 MX$530
-93.31%
Cinema Ticket
$12.19 ¥1,926
$5.10 MX$94.3
139.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fukuyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$651 ¥102.9K
$201 MX$3,715
223.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,461 ¥1.0M
$3,947 MX$72.9K
63.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fukuyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.55 ¥5,933
$44.39 MX$820
-15.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.32 ¥4,949
$41.35 MX$764
-24.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.5 ¥10.0K
$72.7 MX$1,344
-12.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 ¥16.1K
$89.6 MX$1,656
13.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fukuyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$535 ¥84.6K
$979 MX$18.1K
-45.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$335 ¥53.0K
$373 MX$6,887
-10.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,101 ¥174.0K
$1,681 MX$31.1K
-34.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$745 ¥117.7K
$1,095 MX$20.2K
-31.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,284 ¥676.8K
$3,949 MX$73.0K
8.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,742 ¥275.2K
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-71.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fukuyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,387 ¥219.1K
$738 MX$13.6K
88.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1
11.45
-91.27%

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

Last update for Fukuyama: October 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Fukuyama
$335
Playa del Carmen
$373 11.1% $37
Groceries & Markets
Fukuyama
$250
Playa del Carmen
$258 3.5% $8.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fukuyama
$152
Playa del Carmen
$137 9.6% $15
Eating Out
Fukuyama
$135
Playa del Carmen
$200 47.9% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Fukuyama
$105
Playa del Carmen
$112 5.9% $6.2
Getting Around
Fukuyama
$81
Playa del Carmen
$52 36.3% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Fukuyama
$75
Playa del Carmen
$72 4.1% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $535 in Fukuyama and $979 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fukuyama pays 88% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Fukuyama vs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $258 per month, with Fukuyama cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Fukuyama
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
11:30 11:30 AM
21:30 9:30 PM
14 h behind Fukuyama
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
460,930
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fukuyama Playa del Carmen 12,540 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Fukuyama
  • 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
Fukuyama vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fukuyama or Playa del Carmen?
Fukuyama wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fukuyama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Fukuyama or in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 88% higher in Fukuyama, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Fukuyama compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $535 in Fukuyama versus $979 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Fukuyama and in Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $651 in Fukuyama versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Fukuyama or in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Fukuyama or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,134 in Fukuyama versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fukuyama but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Fukuyama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Fukuyama or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Fukuyama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,134 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Fukuyama hard to pass up.
How safe is Fukuyama compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Fukuyama 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Fukuyama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Fukuyama vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?