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 $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,251 in Akita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,943 in Akita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,634 in Akita, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Akita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$7.05 ¥1,151

69.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$34.55 ¥5,638

21.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$5.49 ¥896

89.80%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$3.79 ¥619

-7.39%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$1.03 ¥168

47.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.85

$0.88 ¥143

3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$2.12 ¥346

43.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$3.03 ¥494

44.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$1.54 ¥252

-7.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$1.59 ¥259

15.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$4.88 ¥797

-66.60%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$2.18 ¥356

16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$9.92 ¥1,618

-13.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$6.26 ¥1,022

35.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$15.75 ¥2,570

-31.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$5.25 ¥856

-47.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$2.51 ¥410

-42.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.84

$4.14 ¥675

-54.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$5.76 ¥940

-62.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$3.01 ¥491

-40.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$2.60 ¥424

-14.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$1.39 ¥227

-23.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$0.83 ¥136

30.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$4.08 ¥666

1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$7.76 ¥1,266

34.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$1.89 ¥309

-7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.93

$2.16 ¥352

19.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$1.64 ¥268

-68.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

$56.1 ¥9,159

-53.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$3.40 ¥555

-5.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$2.87 ¥468

-12.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$21.21 ¥3,462

-84.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$1.52 ¥247

-17.11%

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

$29.7K MX$516.7K

$23.4K ¥3.8M

26.73%

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

$23.7K MX$412.2K

$17.1K ¥2.8M

38.58%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$144 ¥23.5K

-43.13%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$27.45 ¥4,479

-17.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$34.05 ¥5,557

-13.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$56.2 ¥9,170

-7.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

$13.78 ¥2,249

33.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$12.24 ¥1,997

-59.72%

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

$202 MX$3,512

$284 ¥46.4K

-28.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-61.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$45.47 ¥7,420

-20.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.27 ¥4,776

37.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$58.9 ¥9,616

35.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$91.9 ¥15.0K

-2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$470 ¥76.7K

101.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,098

$323 ¥52.7K

44.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$868 ¥141.6K

87.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$667 ¥108.8K

78.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.5K

$4,485 ¥732.0K

-12.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$1,757 ¥286.7K

265.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$1,572 ¥256.6K

-58.13%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Akita: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $470 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 139% 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 – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $314 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 1% 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,877 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 116% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $284 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 $1,251, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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 $1,251 versus $1,259 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.