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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,176 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,894 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,613 in Kagoshima, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Kagoshima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kagoshima are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kagoshima 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.48 ¥1,357

38.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$41.63 ¥6,659

-0.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.78 ¥924

84.08%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.07 ¥491

14.66%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.09 ¥174

38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.82 ¥131

18.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.64 ¥262

79.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.02 ¥324

120.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.39 ¥222

-0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.30 ¥208

45.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$4.20 ¥672

-60.95%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.38 ¥381

5.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.13 ¥1,621

-17.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.19 ¥990

34.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$21.06 ¥3,369

-49.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.06 ¥489

-15.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.40 ¥224

4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.35 ¥216

40.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$5.96 ¥953

-65.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.32 ¥372

-23.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.09 ¥335

4.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.99 ¥159

5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.80 ¥129

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.79 ¥607

7.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$6.03 ¥965

71.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.30 ¥208

31.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.13 ¥341

21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.50 ¥239

-66.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$54.4 ¥8,695

-51.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$4.58 ¥732

-28.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.00 ¥479

-17.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$12.39 ¥1,982

-73.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.23 ¥197

6.50%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$23.2K ¥3.7M

30.51%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$20.3K ¥3.2M

15.63%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$210 ¥33.6K

-60.56%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$26.92 ¥4,306

-17.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$35.46 ¥5,671

-17.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$54.8 ¥8,758

-5.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.60 ¥2,175

34.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$14.12 ¥2,258

-64.09%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$412 ¥65.9K

-51.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$13.3K ¥2.1M

-60.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$44.04 ¥7,044

-16.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$29.74 ¥4,757

33.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$65.4 ¥10.5K

19.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$60.1 ¥9,606

45.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$477 ¥76.2K

104.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$238 ¥38.0K

96.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$868 ¥138.9K

89.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$646 ¥103.4K

88.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$5,140 ¥822.2K

-23.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,510 ¥401.5K

158.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,852 ¥296.2K

-64.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.67

583.83%

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 Kagoshima: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $477 in Kagoshima. 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 179% higher in Kagoshima, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Kagoshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $284 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Kagoshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Kagoshima, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,763 in Kagoshima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 105% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $412 in Kagoshima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kagoshima, where all-in costs run around $1,176, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Kagoshima 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. Kagoshima costs $1,176 versus $1,297 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 Kagoshima. 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.