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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,239 in Amagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,955 in Amagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,671 in Amagasaki.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 4% more expensive than Amagasaki, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Amagasaki 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Amagasaki
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$202
$7.10 ¥1,139
65.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$719
$35.19 ¥5,645
18.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.41 MX$179
$5.23 ¥840
99.04%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.1
$3.05 ¥489
18.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 MX$25.06
$1.06 ¥171
37.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$16.70
$0.74 ¥119
31.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 MX$50.3
$2.62 ¥420
11.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62 MX$79.5
$3.04 ¥487
51.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Amagasaki
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.59
$1.61 ¥257
-11.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 MX$32.70
$1.60 ¥257
18.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$26.95
$4.82 ¥773
-67.43%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$45.34
$2.21 ¥354
19.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.44 MX$145
$10.10 ¥1,621
-16.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.58 MX$148
$6.34 ¥1,017
35.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.00 MX$189
$15.56 ¥2,496
-29.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 MX$46.51
$5.46 ¥876
-50.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$25.92
$2.57 ¥412
-41.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.91 MX$32.93
$4.06 ¥651
-52.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.37
$5.78 ¥927
-62.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.25
$3.07 ¥493
-39.09%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.43
$2.56 ¥410
-12.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.60
$1.37 ¥220
-21.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.47
$0.88 ¥142
21.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16 MX$71.6
$4.22 ¥676
-1.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.29 MX$177
$9.05 ¥1,452
13.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$28.95
$1.93 ¥309
-12.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.59
$2.19 ¥351
15.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Amagasaki
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$9.53
$1.65 ¥264
-66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.29 MX$452
$56.5 ¥9,059
-53.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$3.56 ¥571
-10.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.37
$2.90 ¥466
-15.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$20.68 ¥3,318
-84.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$22.72
$1.19 ¥191
10.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$518.8K
$22.9K ¥3.7M
31.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$402.5K
$17.2K ¥2.8M
36.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Amagasaki
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.4 MX$1,400
$145 ¥23.2K
-43.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.41 MX$386
$27.32 ¥4,382
-17.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.97 MX$516
$33.73 ¥5,411
-11.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Amagasaki
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$887
$55.0 ¥8,822
-6.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$316
$13.84 ¥2,221
32.88%
Cinema Ticket
$5.16 MX$88.9
$12.28 ¥1,970
-57.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Amagasaki
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$202 MX$3,471
$279 ¥44.7K
-27.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,311 MX$91.4K
$13.2K ¥2.1M
-59.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Amagasaki
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.61 MX$613
$43.04 ¥6,904
-17.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.37 MX$695
$29.36 ¥4,710
37.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.6 MX$1,353
$61.1 ¥9,794
28.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.9 MX$1,495
$92.9 ¥14.9K
-6.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Amagasaki
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$950 MX$16.3K
$468 ¥75.1K
102.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$478 MX$8,227
$332 ¥53.3K
43.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 MX$27.9K
$857 ¥137.5K
89.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 MX$21.0K
$657 ¥105.3K
86.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,009 MX$69.0K
$4,760 ¥763.5K
-15.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,473 MX$111.4K
$2,603 ¥417.5K
148.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Amagasaki
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$673 MX$11.6K
$2,905 ¥466.0K
-76.84%
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 15, 2026

Last update for Amagasaki: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $468 in Amagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amagasaki pays 332% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $35.00 in Amagasaki. Groceries flip the comparison at $254 vs $319, 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
Playa del Carmen vs Amagasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Amagasaki?
Playa del Carmen and Amagasaki differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,294 vs $1,239 including rent). Amagasaki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Amagasaki earns 332% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Amagasaki?
Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $468 in Amagasaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 26% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Amagasaki – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,239 in Amagasaki versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Amagasaki but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Amagasaki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Amagasaki?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Amagasaki?
Expats usually find Amagasaki 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.

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