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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,176 per month in Kagoshima vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,894 per month in Kagoshima vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,613 per month in Kagoshima vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kagoshima is about 9% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kagoshima and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kagoshima 12% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.48 ¥1,357

$11.73 MX$203

-27.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.63 ¥6,659

$41.62 MX$721

0.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 ¥924

$10.64 MX$184

-45.68%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥491

$3.52 MX$61.0

-12.78%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$1.51 MX$26.17

-27.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥131

$0.97 MX$16.87

-15.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 ¥262

$2.95 MX$51.1

-44.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ¥324

$4.45 MX$77.2

-54.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.38 MX$23.97

0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ¥208

$1.89 MX$32.78

-31.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 ¥672

$1.64 MX$28.37

156.10%

Eggs

$2.38 ¥381

$2.51 MX$43.42

-5.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ¥1,621

$8.34 MX$145

21.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ¥990

$8.34 MX$145

-25.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.06 ¥3,369

$10.73 MX$186

96.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 ¥489

$2.60 MX$45.12

17.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ¥224

$1.46 MX$25.25

-4.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ¥216

$1.90 MX$32.94

-28.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.96 ¥953

$2.08 MX$35.98

186.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ¥372

$1.78 MX$30.77

30.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 ¥335

$2.19 MX$37.87

-4.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ¥159

$1.04 MX$18.02

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥129

$1.08 MX$18.66

-25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 ¥607

$4.08 MX$70.7

-7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ¥965

$10.32 MX$179

-41.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ¥208

$1.71 MX$29.67

-23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥341

$2.58 MX$44.63

-17.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 ¥239

$0.51 MX$8.83

194.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 ¥8,695

$26.46 MX$459

105.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 ¥732

$3.26 MX$56.5

40.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 ¥479

$2.49 MX$43.17

20.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.39 ¥1,982

$3.25 MX$56.3

281.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.31 MX$22.65

-6.11%

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-23.38%

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

$20.3K ¥3.2M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-13.52%

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

$210 ¥33.6K

$82.9 MX$1,436

153.52%

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

$26.92 ¥4,306

$22.22 MX$385

21.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.46 ¥5,671

$29.34 MX$508

20.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ¥8,758

$51.6 MX$895

6.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.60 ¥2,175

$18.32 MX$317

-25.76%

Cinema Ticket

$14.12 ¥2,258

$5.07 MX$87.8

178.50%

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

$412 ¥65.9K

$201 MX$3,480

105.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

155.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.04 ¥7,044

$36.92 MX$640

19.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.74 ¥4,757

$39.79 MX$689

-25.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 ¥10.5K

$78.5 MX$1,360

-16.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.1 ¥9,606

$87.1 MX$1,509

-31.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ¥76.2K

$973 MX$16.9K

-51.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ¥38.0K

$468 MX$8,105

-49.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 ¥138.9K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-47.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 ¥103.4K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-47.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,140 ¥822.2K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

30.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,510 ¥401.5K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-61.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,852 ¥296.2K

$664 MX$11.5K

178.93%

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 Kagoshima: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Kagoshima versus $973 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 179% higher in Kagoshima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Kagoshima versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Kagoshima 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Kagoshima, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,763 per month in Kagoshima and $1,945 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 Kagoshima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 105% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $412 per month in Kagoshima and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kagoshima, where all-in costs run around $1,176, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Kagoshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kagoshima costs $1,176 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kagoshima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.