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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,169 per month in Matsuyama vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,854 per month in Matsuyama vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,540 per month in Matsuyama vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Matsuyama is about 10% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Matsuyama and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Matsuyama 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥958

$11.71 MX$198

-47.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.80 ¥4,187

$46.59 MX$787

-42.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥811

$11.65 MX$197

-55.45%

Cappuccino

$2.84 ¥444

$4.09 MX$69.2

-30.56%

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

$1.04 ¥163

$1.37 MX$23.23

-24.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥111

$0.83 MX$14.09

-14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ¥379

$3.35 MX$56.7

-27.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ¥489

$6.91 MX$117

-54.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥229

$1.73 MX$29.19

-15.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥257

$2.26 MX$38.20

-26.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 ¥679

$1.77 MX$29.90

145.76%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥291

$2.73 MX$46.18

-31.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.74 ¥1,990

$9.18 MX$155

38.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 ¥907

$8.92 MX$151

-34.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 ¥2,459

$12.60 MX$213

24.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 ¥706

$3.02 MX$51.1

49.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 ¥345

$1.57 MX$26.54

40.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥489

$2.13 MX$35.92

46.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 ¥592

$2.26 MX$38.27

67.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ¥360

$2.00 MX$33.87

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 ¥345

$2.06 MX$34.89

7.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ¥196

$1.18 MX$19.94

5.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$1.20 MX$20.35

-32.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 ¥691

$4.63 MX$78.3

-4.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.49 ¥1,169

$10.69 MX$181

-29.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥307

$1.62 MX$27.37

20.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ¥355

$2.88 MX$48.69

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 ¥234

$0.57 MX$9.69

163.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ¥8,646

$29.83 MX$504

85.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ¥555

$5.45 MX$92.1

-34.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 ¥431

$3.70 MX$62.6

-25.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.94 ¥2,490

$5.98 MX$101

166.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.55 MX$26.25

-21.29%

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

$19.3K ¥3.0M

$22.3K MX$377.3K

-13.70%

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

$16.1K ¥2.5M

$25.9K MX$438.5K

-37.80%

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

$131 ¥20.5K

$89.1 MX$1,506

47.27%

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

$26.21 ¥4,095

$25.04 MX$423

4.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.89 ¥4,826

$31.50 MX$532

-1.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.74 ¥6,989

$67.8 MX$1,145

-33.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$11.83 ¥1,847

$5.05 MX$85.3

134.26%

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

$498 ¥77.8K

$225 MX$3,802

121.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ¥1.8M

$4,222 MX$71.4K

170.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 ¥8,178

$47.44 MX$802

10.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.39 ¥4,278

$44.98 MX$760

-39.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.6 ¥8,212

$82.0 MX$1,386

-35.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 ¥14.8K

$92.1 MX$1,556

3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥74.4K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-55.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ¥49.0K

$405 MX$6,850

-22.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 ¥181.2K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-40.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 ¥100.0K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-50.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,948 ¥616.8K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-1.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,963 ¥306.6K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-70.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.06

11.45

-82.01%

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

Last update for Matsuyama: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Matsuyama versus $1,069 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 $27.00 in Matsuyama versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Matsuyama vs $277 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,169 in Matsuyama, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 11% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,753 per month in Matsuyama and $1,940 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 Matsuyama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 86% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $498 per month in Matsuyama and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matsuyama, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Matsuyama 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 $1,169 in Matsuyama to $1,293 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 Matsuyama. 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.