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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $919 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,482 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,046 in Hiroshima, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Hiroshima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Hiroshima are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Hiroshima 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$6.05 ¥945

93.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$31.23 ¥4,879

49.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$4.89 ¥764

138.24%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.72 ¥426

50.37%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.02 ¥160

34.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.67 ¥105

23.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.64 ¥413

26.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.65 ¥570

89.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.50 ¥235

15.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$1.56 ¥243

44.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$4.68 ¥731

-62.18%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$2.09 ¥326

30.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$4.93 ¥770

86.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.96 ¥931

49.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$11.07 ¥1,730

13.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.39 ¥529

-10.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.90 ¥297

-17.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$3.74 ¥584

-43.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$3.73 ¥582

-39.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$1.50 ¥234

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$3.44 ¥537

-40.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.28 ¥200

-7.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.77 ¥121

55.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$3.83 ¥599

20.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$7.63 ¥1,192

40.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.85 ¥289

-12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.46 ¥384

17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.91 ¥298

-70.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$3.72 ¥581

46.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.23 ¥192

200.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$20.94 ¥3,271

-71.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.04 ¥163

49.04%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$21.3K ¥3.3M

4.58%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$15.2K ¥2.4M

71.11%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$137 ¥21.4K

-34.86%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$23.88 ¥3,730

4.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$30.26 ¥4,727

4.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$53.6 ¥8,368

26.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$4.80 ¥749

502.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$11.97 ¥1,870

-57.81%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$158 ¥24.6K

42.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$3,422 ¥534.6K

23.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$28.18 ¥4,403

68.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$24.90 ¥3,891

80.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$47.12 ¥7,362

74.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$61.8 ¥9,654

49.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$238 ¥37.2K

349.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$185 ¥28.9K

119.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$635 ¥99.2K

204.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$503 ¥78.6K

158.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,883 ¥294.1K

112.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,889 ¥295.1K

250.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,956 ¥305.6K

-61.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.21

418.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Hiroshima: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $238 in Hiroshima. 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 161% higher in Hiroshima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Hiroshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $253 – making Hiroshima 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 Hiroshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Hiroshima, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,378 in Hiroshima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $31.00 in Hiroshima. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hiroshima, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Hiroshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hiroshima costs $919 versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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