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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,212 in Fukuyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,901 in Fukuyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,591 in Fukuyama.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 4% more expensive than in Fukuyama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Fukuyama 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$209
$10.49 ¥1,712
14.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$727
$34.16 ¥5,574
22.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$187
$5.46 ¥890
96.89%
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$60.8
$3.42 ¥558
2.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.21
$0.88 ¥144
64.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.40
$0.78 ¥128
12.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.3
$3.53 ¥576
-16.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.5
$6.64 ¥1,083
-32.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.92
$1.06 ¥173
34.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.98
$0.94 ¥154
95.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.30
$3.20 ¥522
-50.94%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.72
$2.27 ¥370
10.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$144
$9.51 ¥1,551
-12.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$3.86 ¥629
118.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$186
$13.93 ¥2,274
-23.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.40
$5.38 ¥879
-51.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.03
$2.48 ¥405
-41.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.15
$6.59 ¥1,075
-70.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.45
$4.05 ¥661
-48.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.22
$1.59 ¥259
16.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.72
$2.25 ¥366
-3.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$17.95
$1.07 ¥175
-3.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.69
$0.43 ¥71.0
148.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$71.4
$4.05 ¥661
1.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$177
$7.51 ¥1,225
35.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.15
$1.78 ¥291
-5.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.96
$3.52 ¥574
-28.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.86
$1.62 ¥264
-68.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$453
$55.2 ¥9,007
-52.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.3
$3.52 ¥575
-8.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$41.86
$3.25 ¥530
-25.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.2
$18.09 ¥2,952
-82.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$22.99
$1.11 ¥181
18.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$516.8K
$13.8K ¥2.3M
115.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$411.8K
$17.3K ¥2.8M
36.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,427
$111 ¥18.1K
-26.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$399
$20.85 ¥3,402
10.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$524
$33.12 ¥5,405
-9.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$904
$56.9 ¥9,285
-8.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$322
$14.01 ¥2,287
32.26%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$86.6
$13.31 ¥2,173
-62.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,436
$375 ¥61.2K
-47.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$92.9K
$7,301 ¥1.2M
-26.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$619
$41.07 ¥6,702
-13.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$702
$34.34 ¥5,603
17.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,370
$70.6 ¥11.5K
11.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,548
$102 ¥16.7K
-12.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.5K
$464 ¥75.7K
104.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,249
$330 ¥53.9K
43.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.6K
$861 ¥140.4K
91.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.1K
$656 ¥107.1K
84.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.6K
$4,937 ¥805.6K
-17.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$112.6K
$1,926 ¥314.2K
235.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
$1,381 ¥225.4K
-52.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
1
1042.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Fukuyama: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $464 in Fukuyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fukuyama pays 111% 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 $34.00 in Fukuyama. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $270, 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 Fukuyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Fukuyama?
Fukuyama wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fukuyama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or in Fukuyama?
On paper, salaries run 111% lower in Fukuyama. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Fukuyama?
Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $464 in Fukuyama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Fukuyama?
Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $375 in Fukuyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Fukuyama?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Fukuyama?
At $1,212 in Fukuyama versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fukuyama but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Fukuyama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Fukuyama?
Both work as nomad bases, but Fukuyama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,212 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Fukuyama hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Fukuyama?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Fukuyama are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Fukuyama 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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