😐A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,227 in Kamiyama, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,911 in Kamiyama, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,596 in Kamiyama, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than Kamiyama, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Kamiyama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen3% lower, Kamiyama8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kamiyama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73MX$203
$6.97¥1,115
68.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62MX$721
$34.65¥5,542
20.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.64MX$184
$5.68¥909
87.32%
Cappuccino
$3.52MX$61.0
$3.16¥506
11.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.17
$1.10¥176
37.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97MX$16.87
$0.81¥130
19.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95MX$51.1
$2.11¥338
39.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45MX$77.2
$3.15¥504
41.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kamiyama
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.97
$1.53¥245
-9.80%
White Bread(500g)
$1.89MX$32.78
$1.65¥264
14.55%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.64MX$28.37
$4.70¥751
-65.11%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.42
$2.28¥365
10.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.34MX$145
$10.01¥1,601
-16.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.34MX$145
$6.13¥981
36.05%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.73MX$186
$15.19¥2,430
-29.36%
Apples(1kg)
$2.60MX$45.12
$5.36¥858
-51.49%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46MX$25.25
$2.66¥426
-45.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.94
$3.99¥638
-52.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$35.98
$4.46¥713
-53.36%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78MX$30.77
$3.35¥536
-46.87%
Onion(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.87
$2.55¥408
-14.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04MX$18.02
$1.37¥220
-24.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08MX$18.66
$0.86¥138
25.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08MX$70.7
$4.06¥649
0.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.32MX$179
$6.53¥1,045
58.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71MX$29.67
$1.90¥304
-10.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58MX$44.63
$2.31¥370
11.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kamiyama
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.51MX$8.83
$1.67¥267
-69.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.46MX$459
$55.7¥8,904
-52.47%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.26MX$56.5
$3.55¥567
-8.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.49MX$43.17
$2.99¥478
-16.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.25MX$56.3
$20.44¥3,269
-84.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.65
$1.24¥198
5.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3KMX$524.7K
$22.8K¥3.6M
32.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$406.0K
$17.3K¥2.8M
35.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kamiyama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.9MX$1,436
$139¥22.2K
-40.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22MX$385
$26.56¥4,248
-16.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34MX$508
$34.39¥5,501
-14.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kamiyama
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.6MX$895
$56.7¥9,072
-8.97%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32MX$317
$13.67¥2,187
34.02%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07MX$87.8
$13.23¥2,117
-61.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kamiyama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,480
$286¥45.7K
-29.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,212MX$90.3K
$13.6K¥2.2M
-61.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kamiyama
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92MX$640
$42.88¥6,859
-13.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79MX$689
$29.72¥4,753
33.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.5MX$1,360
$59.5¥9,513
31.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1MX$1,509
$92.0¥14.7K
-5.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kamiyama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$973MX$16.9K
$466¥74.5K
108.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$468MX$8,105
$332¥53.2K
40.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,641MX$28.4K
$858¥137.3K
91.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,221MX$21.2K
$654¥104.6K
86.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,946MX$68.4K
$2,758¥441.1K
43.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,498MX$112.6K
$1,897¥303.4K
242.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kamiyama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$664MX$11.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
1.81
530.94%
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 Kamiyama: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $466 in Kamiyama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Kamiyama. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $305 in Kamiyama – 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 Kamiyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kamiyama cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,840 in Kamiyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kamiyama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Kamiyama?
Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Kamiyama?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $35.00 in Kamiyama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Kamiyama?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kamiyama, where all-in costs run around $1,227, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Kamiyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Kamiyama more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kamiyama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kamiyama. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared