Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fukuyama

For one person, living is cheaper in Fukuyama: $1,134 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $840 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Fukuyama
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,134
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Fukuyama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Fukuyama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,134 in Fukuyama.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Fukuyama $1,134

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,805 in Fukuyama.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Fukuyama $1,805

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,476 in Fukuyama.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Fukuyama $2,476

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 6% more expensive than in Fukuyama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Fukuyama 16% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$7.51 ¥1,186
44.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$31.20 ¥4,929
41.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$4.90 ¥775
140.00%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$3.27 ¥517
12.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$0.83 ¥132
61.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$0.52 ¥82.7
57.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$1.91 ¥302
60.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$3.20 ¥505
54.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$0.98 ¥155
50.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$0.79 ¥125
181.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$5.88 ¥929
-74.83%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$2.07 ¥326
20.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$8.75 ¥1,382
-14.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$3.39 ¥535
134.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$10.76 ¥1,700
16.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$4.99 ¥788
-44.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$2.33 ¥369
-38.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$4.95 ¥782
-47.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$3.66 ¥578
-41.53%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$1.87 ¥296
8.02%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$1.64 ¥259
21.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$0.99 ¥157
15.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$0.39 ¥62.4
207.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$3.85 ¥608
10.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$7.75 ¥1,224
29.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$1.64 ¥259
-6.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$3.19 ¥503
-16.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$1.45 ¥229
-63.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
$52.9 ¥8,358
-48.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$3.39 ¥535
44.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$3.82 ¥603
-10.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$28.88 ¥4,563
-81.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$1.02 ¥162
42.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$12.4K ¥2.0M
70.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$15.5K ¥2.4M
48.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$103 ¥16.3K
-17.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$18.57 ¥2,934
26.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$30.10 ¥4,755
-5.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$51.1 ¥8,072
21.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
$1.92 ¥304
1393.75%
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$12.19 ¥1,926
-58.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$651 ¥102.9K
-69.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$6,461 ¥1.0M
-38.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$37.55 ¥5,933
18.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$31.32 ¥4,949
32.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$63.5 ¥10.0K
14.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$102 ¥16.1K
-12.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$535 ¥84.6K
82.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$335 ¥53.0K
11.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$1,101 ¥174.0K
52.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$745 ¥117.7K
46.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$4,284 ¥676.8K
-7.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$1,742 ¥275.2K
252.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Fukuyama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$1,387 ¥219.1K
-46.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
1
1045.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Fukuyama: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Fukuyama
$335 10% $37
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Fukuyama
$250 3.4% $8.7
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Fukuyama
$135 32.4% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Fukuyama
$152 10.7% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Fukuyama
$105 5.6% $6.2
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Fukuyama
$75 4.3% $3.1
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Fukuyama
$81 57.1% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $979 in Playa del Carmen and $535 in Fukuyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fukuyama pays 88% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $31.00 in Fukuyama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $250 per month, with Fukuyama cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇯🇵 Fukuyama
🕒 Local time
15:56 3:56 PM
05:56 5:56 AM
14 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
460,930
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Fukuyama 12,540 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Fukuyama

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 6% 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 88% 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: $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $535 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 $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $651 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?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Fukuyama?
At $1,134 in Fukuyama versus $1,204 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 $1,134 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 6% 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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