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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,149 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,913 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,676 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 7% lower, Kagoshima 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$6.45 ¥1,008

79.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$34.43 ¥5,377

36.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$4.92 ¥769

141.46%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.16 ¥494

25.95%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.06 ¥166

34.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.65 ¥102

26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.57 ¥401

24.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.30 ¥359

195.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.36 ¥212

23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.22 ¥190

80.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$5.46 ¥853

-68.68%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.11 ¥330

29.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$18.65 ¥2,913

-48.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.38 ¥840

67.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$19.35 ¥3,022

-33.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.75 ¥586

-22.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.89 ¥295

-20.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.97 ¥464

-27.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$3.34 ¥521

-32.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$2.19 ¥343

-9.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.91 ¥298

4.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.11 ¥174

10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.82 ¥127

46.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.08 ¥637

11.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$6.10 ¥952

70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.22 ¥190

32.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.87 ¥292

54.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$1.28 ¥200

-53.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$58.0 ¥9,054

-50.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$3.99 ¥623

35.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$2.15 ¥335

73.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$11.86 ¥1,853

-51.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.14 ¥177

35.09%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$22.5K ¥3.5M

0.08%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$17.9K ¥2.8M

45.55%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$195 ¥30.4K

-53.11%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$25.87 ¥4,040

-2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$31.40 ¥4,903

-0.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$53.4 ¥8,333

25.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$12.41 ¥1,938

-60.84%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$130 ¥20.3K

72.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$12.6K ¥2.0M

-66.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$39.59 ¥6,183

18.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$24.19 ¥3,777

83.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$62.0 ¥9,682

29.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$48.58 ¥7,586

90.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$522 ¥81.5K

103.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$226 ¥35.3K

72.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$946 ¥147.7K

127.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$753 ¥117.7K

68.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$4,178 ¥652.4K

-4.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,848 ¥288.6K

251.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$1,921 ¥299.9K

-60.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.85

518.92%

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 Kagoshima: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $522 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 153% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Kagoshima. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $302 in Kagoshima – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,724 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 101% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $130 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 $1,149, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $1,149 versus $1,266 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.