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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,486 in Hachioji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,177 in Hachioji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,868 in Hachioji.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 15% less than in Hachioji, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Hachioji is 9% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 MX$200
$5.40 ¥846
114.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11 MX$811
$31.79 ¥4,987
48.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.88 MX$205
$4.80 ¥752
147.50%
Cappuccino
$3.98 MX$68.5
$3.25 ¥509
22.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.57
$0.86 ¥135
66.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$14.20
$0.66 ¥103
24.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$54.9
$2.62 ¥410
21.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 MX$117
$3.33 ¥523
103.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.85
$1.30 ¥204
29.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$37.83
$1.49 ¥234
47.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.41
$4.46 ¥700
-61.66%
Eggs
$2.74 MX$47.20
$2.18 ¥342
25.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 MX$165
$11.13 ¥1,745
-13.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 MX$155
$6.64 ¥1,041
35.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 MX$221
$17.93 ¥2,812
-28.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 MX$49.74
$5.12 ¥804
-43.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.78
$2.37 ¥372
-36.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$36.98
$3.17 ¥497
-32.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.91
$4.31 ¥676
-47.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$34.10
$2.60 ¥407
-23.85%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.26
$2.46 ¥386
-19.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 MX$21.25
$1.29 ¥202
-4.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.60
$0.84 ¥132
42.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 MX$78.3
$4.00 ¥627
13.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$179
$7.61 ¥1,193
36.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.88
$2.65 ¥416
-38.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$49.60
$2.12 ¥332
35.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.34
$0.91 ¥143
-34.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.80 MX$496
$58.7 ¥9,206
-50.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$92.8
$3.26 ¥511
65.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.73 MX$64.2
$3.82 ¥599
-2.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 MX$99.3
$19.86 ¥3,115
-70.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.45
$1.06 ¥166
45.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$388.3K
$21.7K ¥3.4M
3.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$448.7K
$15.5K ¥2.4M
67.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.4 MX$1,573
$135 ¥21.2K
-32.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20 MX$434
$21.48 ¥3,369
17.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24 MX$538
$36.66 ¥5,751
-14.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 MX$1,157
$52.0 ¥8,162
29.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 MX$501
$25.86 ¥4,056
12.57%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$83.7
$13.58 ¥2,129
-64.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 MX$3,851
$517 ¥81.1K
-56.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,229 MX$72.8K
$11.7K ¥1.8M
-63.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10 MX$811
$50.4 ¥7,904
-6.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29 MX$763
$32.99 ¥5,175
34.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 MX$1,379
$61.2 ¥9,592
31.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 MX$1,596
$93.1 ¥14.6K
-0.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$18.3K
$961 ¥150.7K
10.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,719
$576 ¥90.3K
-32.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 MX$37.0K
$1,648 ¥258.5K
30.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 MX$21.9K
$958 ¥150.2K
32.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,001 MX$68.9K
$3,818 ¥598.9K
4.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,502 MX$112.0K
$1,813 ¥284.4K
258.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.1K
$2,796 ¥438.5K
-72.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
2.09
447.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Hachioji: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $961 in Hachioji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hachioji pays 269% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $32.00 in Hachioji. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $310, 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 Hachioji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Hachioji?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Hachioji. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or in Hachioji?
On paper, salaries run 269% lower in Hachioji. 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 Hachioji?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $961 in Hachioji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Hachioji?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Hachioji. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Hachioji?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $32.00 in Hachioji. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Hachioji?
At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,486 in Hachioji, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Hachioji. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Hachioji?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,266 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Hachioji?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Hachioji 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Hachioji. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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