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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Nagasaki versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,844 in Nagasaki versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,470 in Nagasaki versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Nagasaki costs roughly 4% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nagasaki 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.21 ¥813

$11.60 MX$200

-55.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.09 ¥2,979

$47.11 MX$812

-59.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 ¥792

$11.88 MX$205

-57.24%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥532

$3.98 MX$68.6

-14.32%

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

$1.02 ¥159

$1.43 MX$24.60

-28.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥101

$0.82 MX$14.22

-20.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ¥347

$3.19 MX$55.0

-30.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ¥363

$6.79 MX$117

-65.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥245

$1.68 MX$28.89

-6.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥307

$2.20 MX$37.88

-10.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 ¥982

$1.71 MX$29.45

268.42%

Eggs

$2.15 ¥335

$2.74 MX$47.26

-21.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 ¥1,524

$9.58 MX$165

1.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥501

$9.01 MX$155

-64.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.61 ¥3,059

$12.81 MX$221

53.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 ¥577

$2.89 MX$49.81

28.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ¥286

$1.50 MX$25.81

22.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ¥467

$2.15 MX$37.03

39.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 ¥522

$2.26 MX$38.96

47.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ¥358

$1.98 MX$34.15

16.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 ¥399

$1.99 MX$34.30

28.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ¥173

$1.23 MX$21.28

-9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$1.20 MX$20.63

-15.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 ¥633

$4.55 MX$78.5

-10.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 ¥993

$10.37 MX$179

-38.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥277

$1.62 MX$27.91

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ¥303

$2.88 MX$49.67

-32.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 ¥210

$0.60 MX$10.35

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 ¥9,125

$28.80 MX$497

103.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 ¥618

$5.39 MX$92.9

-26.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 ¥326

$3.73 MX$64.3

-43.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 ¥2,912

$5.77 MX$99.5

223.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.54 MX$26.48

-26.62%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-0.69%

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

$17.9K ¥2.8M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-31.24%

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

$195 ¥30.4K

$91.4 MX$1,576

113.37%

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

$25.63 ¥3,999

$25.20 MX$435

1.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.84 ¥5,437

$31.24 MX$539

11.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.26 ¥7,531

$67.2 MX$1,159

-28.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 ¥1,756

$4.86 MX$83.8

131.48%

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

$130 ¥20.3K

$224 MX$3,856

-41.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ¥1.9M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

192.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.36 ¥5,986

$47.10 MX$812

-18.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.70 ¥3,854

$44.29 MX$764

-44.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 ¥9,522

$80.1 MX$1,381

-23.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 ¥7,552

$92.7 MX$1,598

-47.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ¥78.9K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-52.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 ¥48.7K

$390 MX$6,728

-19.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 ¥161.1K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-51.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ¥121.1K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-38.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ¥584.9K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-6.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 ¥283.4K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-72.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.85

11.45

-83.84%

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

Last update for Nagasaki: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Nagasaki and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Nagasaki vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $276, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Nagasaki is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,827 in Nagasaki and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Nagasaki versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Nagasaki – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,218 in Nagasaki versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagasaki but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nagasaki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nagasaki is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nagasaki and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nagasaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.