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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,325 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,836 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,347 in Kashiwa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 2% cheaper than Kashiwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kashiwa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kashiwa 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.99 ¥1,118

67.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$27.94 ¥4,469

48.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.67 ¥907

87.65%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.09 ¥494

13.92%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.84 ¥135

79.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.78 ¥124

24.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.14 ¥342

37.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.72 ¥435

63.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.23 ¥197

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.13 ¥181

67.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$5.06 ¥809

-67.59%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.03 ¥325

23.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.04 ¥1,126

18.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.39 ¥1,023

30.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.32 ¥1,651

3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$4.97 ¥794

-47.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.83 ¥452

-48.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$4.03 ¥645

-52.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$6.10 ¥975

-65.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.75 ¥439

-35.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.23 ¥357

-1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.70 ¥112

48.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.57 ¥90.4

89.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.06 ¥650

0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$9.38 ¥1,501

10.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.84 ¥295

-7.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.03 ¥325

27.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.56 ¥250

-67.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$54.4 ¥8,699

-51.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.37 ¥539

-3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.38 ¥380

4.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$22.04 ¥3,525

-85.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.19 ¥191

10.08%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$23.1K ¥3.7M

31.07%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$18.2K ¥2.9M

29.02%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$143 ¥22.9K

-42.11%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$27.74 ¥4,437

-19.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$33.75 ¥5,398

-13.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$55.6 ¥8,893

-7.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.14 ¥2,261

29.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$13.57 ¥2,171

-62.64%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$281 ¥45.0K

-28.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$13.9K ¥2.2M

-62.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$41.98 ¥6,715

-12.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$28.95 ¥4,631

37.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$60.6 ¥9,684

29.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$111 ¥17.7K

-21.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$636 ¥101.7K

52.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$436 ¥69.8K

7.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$838 ¥134.0K

95.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$525 ¥84.0K

132.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,667 ¥746.4K

-15.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,247 ¥359.4K

189.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,486 ¥397.6K

-73.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.05

457.07%

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 Kashiwa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $636 in Kashiwa. 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 274% higher in Kashiwa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Kashiwa. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $279 in Kashiwa – 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 Kashiwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,325 in Kashiwa – roughly 2% apart. Kashiwa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,987 in Kashiwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $281 in Kashiwa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Kashiwa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Kashiwa at $1,325. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kashiwa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $1,325 in Kashiwa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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