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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,196 per month in Kanazawa vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Kanazawa vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,547 per month in Kanazawa vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kanazawa is about 8% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kanazawa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kanazawa 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.69 ¥910

$11.73 MX$203

-51.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.23 ¥5,634

$41.62 MX$721

-15.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 ¥772

$10.64 MX$184

-54.70%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥532

$3.52 MX$61.0

-5.68%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$1.51 MX$26.17

-27.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥115

$0.97 MX$16.87

-25.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 ¥447

$2.95 MX$51.1

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ¥705

$4.45 MX$77.2

-1.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.38 MX$23.97

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ¥239

$1.89 MX$32.78

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 ¥749

$1.64 MX$28.37

185.98%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥390

$2.51 MX$43.42

-2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 ¥1,699

$8.34 MX$145

27.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 ¥1,012

$8.34 MX$145

-24.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 ¥3,045

$10.73 MX$186

77.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 ¥582

$2.60 MX$45.12

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥351

$1.46 MX$25.25

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ¥412

$1.90 MX$32.94

35.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 ¥711

$2.08 MX$35.98

113.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥265

$1.78 MX$30.77

-6.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ¥198

$2.19 MX$37.87

-43.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.04 MX$18.02

33.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥142

$1.08 MX$18.66

-17.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥614

$4.08 MX$70.7

-5.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,461

$10.32 MX$179

-11.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥331

$1.71 MX$29.67

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ¥480

$2.58 MX$44.63

16.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$0.51 MX$8.83

215.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,767

$26.46 MX$459

107.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ¥725

$3.26 MX$56.5

39.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 ¥537

$2.49 MX$43.17

34.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.66 ¥3,785

$3.25 MX$56.3

628.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥188

$1.31 MX$22.65

-9.92%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-22.50%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-27.62%

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

$130 ¥20.8K

$82.9 MX$1,436

57.22%

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

$27.51 ¥4,400

$22.22 MX$385

23.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.22 ¥4,833

$29.34 MX$508

3.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.01 ¥7,680

$51.6 MX$895

-7.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.76 ¥2,201

$18.32 MX$317

-24.89%

Cinema Ticket

$12.65 ¥2,023

$5.07 MX$87.8

149.51%

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

$70.4 ¥11.3K

$201 MX$3,480

-64.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

99.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.98 ¥7,034

$36.92 MX$640

19.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 ¥4,669

$39.79 MX$689

-26.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ¥10.7K

$78.5 MX$1,360

-15.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 ¥15.1K

$87.1 MX$1,509

8.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥76.1K

$973 MX$16.9K

-51.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥53.1K

$468 MX$8,105

-29.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 ¥138.6K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-47.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 ¥105.2K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-46.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,365 ¥698.2K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

10.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,655 ¥424.7K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-59.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,846 ¥295.2K

$664 MX$11.5K

178.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

11.42

-84.15%

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

Last update for Kanazawa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Kanazawa 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 178% higher in Kanazawa, 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 $35.00 in Kanazawa versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Kanazawa 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,196 in Kanazawa, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 8% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,794 per month in Kanazawa 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 Kanazawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,196 in Kanazawa and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 107% less in Kanazawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kanazawa, where all-in costs run around $1,196, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Kanazawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,196 in Kanazawa to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kanazawa. 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.