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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,273 in Akita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,954 in Akita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,635 in Akita, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Akita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Akita are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Akita 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$6.94 ¥1,113

69.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$35.26 ¥5,652

18.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$5.45 ¥873

95.23%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.4

$3.80 ¥608

-7.37%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$1.05 ¥168

43.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.93 ¥148

4.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$2.10 ¥337

40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$3.18 ¥510

39.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.60 ¥256

-13.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.03

$1.57 ¥252

20.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$4.88 ¥782

-66.39%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$2.28 ¥366

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$9.94 ¥1,593

-16.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$6.42 ¥1,030

29.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$15.43 ¥2,473

-30.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.47

$5.32 ¥853

-51.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$2.55 ¥409

-42.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$4.04 ¥647

-52.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$5.85 ¥938

-64.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$3.12 ¥500

-42.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$2.67 ¥429

-17.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$1.33 ¥213

-21.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$0.90 ¥144

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$4.22 ¥676

-3.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$8.32 ¥1,333

24.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$1.91 ¥307

-10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.97

$2.23 ¥358

15.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$1.67 ¥267

-69.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$55.6 ¥8,907

-52.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$3.53 ¥566

-7.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.50

$2.86 ¥459

-12.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$20.48 ¥3,282

-84.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.45 ¥233

-9.66%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$23.1K ¥3.7M

30.91%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$17.6K ¥2.8M

33.22%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$144 ¥23.0K

-42.25%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$27.16 ¥4,353

-18.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$34.38 ¥5,510

-14.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$55.5 ¥8,894

-6.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$13.96 ¥2,238

31.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$12.38 ¥1,985

-59.05%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$285 ¥45.6K

-29.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-60.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$45.60 ¥7,310

-19.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$29.11 ¥4,666

36.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$59.3 ¥9,504

32.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$91.2 ¥14.6K

-4.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$468 ¥75.0K

107.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,168

$333 ¥53.4K

40.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$865 ¥138.7K

89.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$669 ¥107.2K

82.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$4,561 ¥731.0K

-13.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$2,373 ¥380.3K

173.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$1,595 ¥255.6K

-58.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.78

541.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Akita: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $468 in Akita. 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 140% higher in Akita, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Akita. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $317 in Akita – 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Akita, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,909 in Akita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Akita, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 110% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $285 in Akita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Akita, where all-in costs run around $1,273, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Akita 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. Akita costs $1,273 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Akita. 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.