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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,233 per month in Kitakyushu vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,926 per month in Kitakyushu vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,620 per month in Kitakyushu vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kitakyushu is about 3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kitakyushu and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kitakyushu 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 ¥1,128

$11.60 MX$199

-37.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.59 ¥5,246

$47.11 MX$809

-28.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ¥867

$11.88 MX$204

-53.28%

Cappuccino

$3.37 ¥526

$3.98 MX$68.2

-15.33%

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

$1.04 ¥162

$1.43 MX$24.49

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$0.82 MX$14.16

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ¥463

$3.19 MX$54.7

-6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ¥352

$6.79 MX$117

-66.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥239

$1.68 MX$28.76

-8.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥204

$2.20 MX$37.71

-40.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.55 ¥867

$1.71 MX$29.32

224.56%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥354

$2.74 MX$47.05

-17.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ¥1,559

$9.58 MX$164

4.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 ¥857

$9.01 MX$155

-39.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.18 ¥2,996

$12.81 MX$220

49.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 ¥579

$2.89 MX$49.58

28.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ¥289

$1.50 MX$25.70

23.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 ¥450

$2.15 MX$36.87

33.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 ¥464

$2.26 MX$38.79

31.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 ¥354

$1.98 MX$34.00

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ¥406

$1.99 MX$34.15

30.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.23 MX$21.18

-11.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥147

$1.20 MX$20.54

-21.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥631

$4.55 MX$78.1

-11.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 ¥1,000

$10.37 MX$178

-38.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.62 MX$27.79

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ¥276

$2.88 MX$49.44

-38.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 ¥257

$0.60 MX$10.30

173.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.2 ¥9,094

$28.80 MX$494

102.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$5.39 MX$92.5

-27.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ¥322

$3.73 MX$64.0

-44.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.42 ¥2,876

$5.77 MX$99.0

219.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥165

$1.54 MX$26.37

-31.17%

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

$21.3K ¥3.3M

$22.5K MX$387.0K

-5.58%

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

$17.6K ¥2.8M

$26.1K MX$447.3K

-32.30%

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

$195 ¥30.5K

$91.4 MX$1,569

113.60%

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

$25.26 ¥3,944

$25.20 MX$433

0.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.60 ¥5,248

$31.24 MX$536

7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ¥8,171

$67.2 MX$1,154

-22.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.15 ¥493

$29.11 MX$500

-89.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 ¥1,798

$4.86 MX$83.5

137.04%

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

$389 ¥60.8K

$224 MX$3,839

74.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ¥1.9M

$4,229 MX$72.6K

192.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.38 ¥6,151

$47.10 MX$808

-16.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.50 ¥3,826

$44.29 MX$760

-44.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 ¥9,473

$80.1 MX$1,375

-24.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.25 ¥7,535

$92.7 MX$1,591

-47.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 ¥81.2K

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-51.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ¥51.7K

$390 MX$6,698

-15.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 ¥163.9K

$2,149 MX$36.9K

-51.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 ¥115.4K

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-41.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,702 ¥578.1K

$4,001 MX$68.7K

-7.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,776 ¥277.3K

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-72.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,527 ¥238.4K

$758 MX$13.0K

101.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.69

11.45

-85.24%

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

Last update for Kitakyushu: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $520 in Kitakyushu versus $1,063 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 101% higher in Kitakyushu, 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 $34.00 in Kitakyushu versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Kitakyushu vs $276 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,233 in Kitakyushu, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 3% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,850 per month in Kitakyushu and $1,899 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 Kitakyushu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Kitakyushu and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitakyushu, where all-in costs run around $1,233, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Kitakyushu 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 $1,233 in Kitakyushu to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Kitakyushu. 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.