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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,235 in Akita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,965 in Akita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,695 in Akita, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Akita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.61 ¥1,036

75.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$32.99 ¥5,175

42.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.90 ¥769

142.45%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.62 ¥567

9.94%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.02 ¥160

40.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.81 ¥127

1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.95 ¥306

63.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.28 ¥515

107.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.55 ¥243

8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.53 ¥241

43.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$3.65 ¥573

-53.15%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.09 ¥328

31.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.37 ¥1,941

-22.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.50 ¥1,019

38.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$15.35 ¥2,407

-16.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$4.62 ¥724

-37.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$2.41 ¥379

-37.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$3.08 ¥484

-30.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$3.81 ¥598

-40.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$2.81 ¥441

-29.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.14 ¥336

-7.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.31 ¥206

-6.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.81 ¥127

48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$3.89 ¥610

16.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.33 ¥1,149

41.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$2.04 ¥319

-20.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.12 ¥332

35.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.49 ¥233

-59.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$58.7 ¥9,203

-50.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$3.51 ¥551

53.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$2.86 ¥449

30.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$22.36 ¥3,507

-74.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.36 ¥214

13.24%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$22.2K ¥3.5M

1.51%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$15.3K ¥2.4M

70.24%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$133 ¥20.9K

-31.34%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$24.57 ¥3,854

2.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$31.96 ¥5,014

-2.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$53.9 ¥8,447

24.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$12.45 ¥1,952

-60.96%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$551 ¥86.5K

-59.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$11.8K ¥1.8M

-64.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$43.20 ¥6,776

9.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$32.49 ¥5,097

36.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$87.2 ¥13.7K

-8.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$93.2 ¥14.6K

-0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$507 ¥79.6K

109.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$336 ¥52.7K

16.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$1,055 ¥165.4K

103.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$751 ¥117.9K

69.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$3,700 ¥580.4K

8.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,762 ¥276.3K

269.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,633 ¥256.1K

-53.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.09

447.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Akita: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $507 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 115% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Akita. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $295 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 Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,852 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 104% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $551 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 $1,235, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $1,235 versus $1,266 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.