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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,339 in Hachioji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,015 in Hachioji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,690 in Hachioji.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 3% less than in Hachioji, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Hachioji is 0% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$203
$6.88 ¥1,101
70.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62 MX$721
$34.91 ¥5,583
19.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.64 MX$184
$5.42 ¥867
96.31%
Cappuccino
$3.52 MX$61.0
$3.16 ¥505
11.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.17
$1.10 ¥176
37.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$16.87
$0.80 ¥128
21.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.1
$2.55 ¥408
15.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45 MX$77.2
$3.15 ¥505
41.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.97
$1.52 ¥244
-9.21%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 MX$32.78
$1.58 ¥253
19.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 MX$28.37
$4.73 ¥756
-65.33%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.42
$2.24 ¥358
12.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.34 MX$145
$10.06 ¥1,608
-17.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 MX$145
$6.20 ¥991
34.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.73 MX$186
$15.53 ¥2,484
-30.91%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 MX$45.12
$5.48 ¥876
-52.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 MX$25.25
$2.60 ¥417
-43.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 MX$32.94
$3.91 ¥626
-51.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$35.98
$5.85 ¥936
-64.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 MX$30.77
$3.13 ¥500
-43.13%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$37.87
$2.63 ¥421
-16.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 MX$18.02
$1.40 ¥224
-25.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.66
$0.83 ¥133
30.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08 MX$70.7
$4.23 ¥677
-3.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.32 MX$179
$8.71 ¥1,393
18.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 MX$29.67
$1.90 ¥304
-10.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 MX$44.63
$2.23 ¥356
15.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.83
$1.67 ¥267
-69.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.46 MX$459
$55.7 ¥8,902
-52.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 MX$56.5
$3.39 ¥543
-3.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.49 MX$43.17
$2.91 ¥466
-14.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 MX$56.3
$21.11 ¥3,377
-84.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.65
$1.19 ¥190
10.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K MX$524.7K
$23.3K ¥3.7M
30.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$406.0K
$17.3K ¥2.8M
35.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.9 MX$1,436
$143 ¥22.9K
-42.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22 MX$385
$27.00 ¥4,319
-17.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34 MX$508
$33.48 ¥5,355
-12.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$895
$55.6 ¥8,897
-7.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32 MX$317
$14.00 ¥2,240
30.86%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 MX$87.8
$12.38 ¥1,980
-59.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,480
$277 ¥44.3K
-27.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,212 MX$90.3K
$13.4K ¥2.2M
-61.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92 MX$640
$43.72 ¥6,994
-15.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79 MX$689
$29.49 ¥4,716
34.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.5 MX$1,360
$58.9 ¥9,417
33.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1 MX$1,509
$91.2 ¥14.6K
-4.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$973 MX$16.9K
$668 ¥106.8K
45.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 MX$8,105
$436 ¥69.7K
7.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 MX$28.4K
$851 ¥136.0K
92.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,221 MX$21.2K
$657 ¥105.1K
85.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,946 MX$68.4K
$4,585 ¥733.4K
-13.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,498 MX$112.6K
$2,421 ¥387.2K
168.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Hachioji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 MX$11.5K
$2,741 ¥438.4K
-75.78%
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 2, 2026

Last update for Hachioji: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $668 in Hachioji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hachioji pays 313% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $35.00 in Hachioji. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $316, 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 3% 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 Hachioji?
On paper, Hachioji earns 313% less. 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 vs Hachioji?
Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $668 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 Hachioji?
Supermarket bills run roughly 27% 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 vs Hachioji?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $35.00 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 Hachioji?
At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,339 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 $1,297 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 3% less than in Hachioji. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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