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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,896 per month in Nagano vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,616 per month in Nagano vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nagano is about 9% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 ¥1,082

$11.73 MX$203

-42.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.32 ¥5,650

$41.62 MX$721

-15.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ¥655

$10.64 MX$184

-61.56%

Cappuccino

$3.51 ¥562

$3.52 MX$61.0

-0.28%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$1.51 MX$26.17

-27.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ¥102

$0.97 MX$16.87

-34.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 ¥336

$2.95 MX$51.1

-28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$4.45 MX$77.2

-53.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥200

$1.38 MX$23.97

-9.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ¥194

$1.89 MX$32.78

-35.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 ¥748

$1.64 MX$28.37

184.76%

Eggs

$1.52 ¥243

$2.51 MX$43.42

-39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 ¥1,957

$8.34 MX$145

46.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.25 ¥1,959

$8.34 MX$145

46.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.89 ¥2,702

$10.73 MX$186

57.41%

Apples (1kg)

$7.52 ¥1,202

$2.60 MX$45.12

189.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$1.46 MX$25.25

76.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.55 ¥729

$1.90 MX$32.94

139.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 ¥710

$2.08 MX$35.98

113.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 ¥597

$1.78 MX$30.77

109.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 ¥575

$2.19 MX$37.87

64.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ¥171

$1.04 MX$18.02

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥106

$1.08 MX$18.66

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.58 ¥892

$4.08 MX$70.7

36.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,460

$10.32 MX$179

-11.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ¥399

$1.71 MX$29.67

46.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ¥570

$2.58 MX$44.63

37.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥238

$0.51 MX$8.83

192.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.0 ¥8,960

$26.46 MX$459

111.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ¥502

$3.26 MX$56.5

-3.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 ¥480

$2.49 MX$43.17

20.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.41 ¥3,265

$3.25 MX$56.3

528.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥185

$1.31 MX$22.65

-11.45%

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

$23.8K ¥3.8M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-21.39%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-25.87%

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

$82.9 ¥13.3K

$82.9 MX$1,436

0.01%

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

$29.54 ¥4,724

$22.22 MX$385

32.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.05 ¥2,728

$29.34 MX$508

-41.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ¥8,949

$51.6 MX$895

8.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.08 ¥2,253

$18.32 MX$317

-23.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 ¥1,841

$5.07 MX$87.8

127.02%

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

$281 ¥45.0K

$201 MX$3,480

40.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

155.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.14 ¥7,060

$36.92 MX$640

19.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.58 ¥4,731

$39.79 MX$689

-25.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 ¥9,630

$78.5 MX$1,360

-23.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 ¥15.3K

$87.1 MX$1,509

10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$973 MX$16.9K

-50.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 ¥43.9K

$468 MX$8,105

-41.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 ¥136.6K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-47.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 ¥106.4K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-45.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ¥101.3K

$664 MX$11.5K

-4.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-82.49%

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

Last update for Nagano: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $483 in Nagano 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 5% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nagano versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $360 in Nagano 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

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,764 per month in Nagano 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 Nagano, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nagano and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,176 in Nagano and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nagano, where all-in costs run around $1,176, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Nagano 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. Nagano 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.

If budget matters most, go with Nagano. 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.