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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,312 in Fukuoka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,066 in Fukuoka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,820 in Fukuoka, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 1% cheaper than Fukuoka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Fukuoka are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Fukuoka 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$8.36 ¥1,341

40.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$41.76 ¥6,698

0.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.10 ¥979

70.66%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.04 ¥487

18.75%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.04 ¥166

40.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.80 ¥129

21.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.63 ¥261

79.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.13 ¥341

116.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.73 ¥277

-17.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.61 ¥258

18.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$4.19 ¥673

-62.53%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.62 ¥419

0.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$20.84 ¥3,344

-59.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.28 ¥1,007

36.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$21.01 ¥3,370

-47.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.13 ¥502

-13.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.41 ¥227

7.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.41 ¥226

35.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$5.79 ¥929

-62.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.79 ¥448

-32.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$3.24 ¥520

-31.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.91 ¥146

18.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.79 ¥127

35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$3.93 ¥631

5.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$6.16 ¥989

67.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.02 ¥323

-16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.14 ¥343

18.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$1.85 ¥296

-70.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$41.40 ¥6,641

-36.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$4.53 ¥727

-29.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$4.54 ¥728

-45.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$19.90 ¥3,192

-83.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.24 ¥199

6.45%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$23.2K ¥3.7M

29.71%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$19.8K ¥3.2M

18.10%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$219 ¥35.1K

-62.77%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$27.53 ¥4,417

-18.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$35.63 ¥5,716

-15.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$58.2 ¥9,336

-11.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$3.51 ¥562

423.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$13.71 ¥2,199

-62.36%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$415 ¥66.6K

-51.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-59.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$42.54 ¥6,824

-16.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$29.68 ¥4,761

36.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$65.3 ¥10.5K

20.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$61.8 ¥9,917

40.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$538 ¥86.3K

76.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$296 ¥47.5K

61.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,035 ¥166.1K

56.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$697 ¥111.8K

75.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$6,297 ¥1.0M

-36.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$2,635 ¥422.7K

145.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$1,547 ¥248.2K

-56.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.67

583.83%

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 Fukuoka: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $538 in Fukuoka. 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 130% higher in Fukuoka, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Fukuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $331 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Fukuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, $1,312 in Fukuoka – roughly 1% apart. Fukuoka costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,968 in Fukuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $415 in Fukuoka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Fukuoka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Fukuoka at $1,312. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fukuoka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,294 in Playa del Carmen to $1,312 in Fukuoka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fukuoka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.