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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Himeji vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,019 per month in Himeji vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,769 per month in Himeji vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Himeji costs about 1% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Himeji and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Himeji 5% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.52 ¥1,385

$11.99 MX$209

-28.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 ¥5,522

$41.78 MX$728

-18.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 ¥993

$10.75 MX$187

-43.16%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ¥486

$3.50 MX$60.9

-14.57%

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

$1.16 ¥188

$1.45 MX$25.22

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥121

$0.88 MX$15.41

-14.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 ¥571

$2.95 MX$51.3

18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ¥500

$4.51 MX$78.6

-31.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥249

$1.43 MX$24.94

6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥290

$1.84 MX$31.99

-3.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.12 ¥831

$1.57 MX$27.31

226.11%

Eggs

$2.53 ¥411

$2.51 MX$43.74

0.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.12 ¥2,781

$8.28 MX$144

106.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 ¥1,265

$8.43 MX$147

-7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 ¥2,537

$10.68 MX$186

46.25%

Apples (1kg)

$8.94 ¥1,453

$2.61 MX$45.43

242.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 ¥451

$1.44 MX$25.04

92.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 ¥575

$1.96 MX$34.16

80.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.56 ¥1,553

$2.09 MX$36.47

357.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 ¥627

$1.85 MX$32.24

108.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 ¥329

$2.17 MX$37.74

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ¥165

$1.03 MX$17.96

-0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ¥234

$1.07 MX$18.70

34.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ¥580

$4.10 MX$71.4

-12.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.21 ¥1,496

$10.17 MX$177

-9.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥336

$1.68 MX$29.17

23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ¥375

$2.53 MX$43.98

-8.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥272

$0.51 MX$8.87

227.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.1 ¥8,947

$26.04 MX$453

111.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ¥557

$3.23 MX$56.3

6.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 ¥488

$2.41 MX$41.88

24.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.12 ¥2,782

$3.23 MX$56.2

430.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 ¥124

$1.32 MX$23.00

-42.42%

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

$22.9K ¥3.7M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-22.74%

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

$17.0K ¥2.8M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-28.24%

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

$137 ¥22.3K

$82.0 MX$1,428

67.04%

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

$27.16 ¥4,413

$22.95 MX$400

18.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.61 ¥4,324

$30.11 MX$524

-11.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ¥9,034

$52.0 MX$905

6.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.92 ¥2,262

$18.53 MX$323

-24.88%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ¥1,332

$4.98 MX$86.6

64.66%

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

$467 ¥75.9K

$197 MX$3,438

136.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ¥1.8M

$5,336 MX$92.9K

111.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.76 ¥6,298

$35.60 MX$620

8.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.52 ¥1,709

$40.33 MX$702

-73.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.88 ¥6,805

$78.8 MX$1,371

-46.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.1 ¥8,955

$88.9 MX$1,549

-38.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ¥74.9K

$947 MX$16.5K

-51.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 ¥53.2K

$474 MX$8,254

-30.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$850 ¥138.2K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-48.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 ¥105.5K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-46.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,992 ¥648.6K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-1.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,806 ¥293.5K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-72.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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 Himeji: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Himeji versus $947 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Himeji versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Himeji vs $249 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

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

Yes – Himeji is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Himeji and $1,884 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.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Himeji, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Himeji and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Himeji at $1,269. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Himeji it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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