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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,264 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,901 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,537 in Kashiwa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen and Kashiwa have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kashiwa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kashiwa 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.32 ¥987

83.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$26.13 ¥4,076

80.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.16 ¥805

130.23%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.42 ¥534

16.37%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.72 ¥112

98.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.78 ¥121

5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.55 ¥398

25.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.22 ¥502

110.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.33 ¥208

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.15 ¥179

91.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.77 ¥588

-54.64%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.96 ¥306

39.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.63 ¥1,035

44.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.14 ¥958

46.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$9.68 ¥1,510

32.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$5.80 ¥905

-50.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.90 ¥452

-48.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.87 ¥449

-25.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.34 ¥677

-47.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.67 ¥417

-25.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.62 ¥408

-24.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.67 ¥104

83.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.63 ¥98.4

90.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.86 ¥603

17.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.52 ¥1,017

59.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.79 ¥279

-9.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.95 ¥305

47.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.49 ¥232

-59.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$57.7 ¥8,997

-50.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.20 ¥499

68.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.65 ¥257

126.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$21.26 ¥3,317

-72.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.02 ¥159

50.98%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$21.6K ¥3.4M

4.32%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$18.4K ¥2.9M

41.59%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$130 ¥20.3K

-29.64%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$24.53 ¥3,828

2.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$33.52 ¥5,229

-6.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$59.9 ¥9,352

12.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$12.93 ¥2,017

-62.41%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$660 ¥102.9K

-66.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$14.9K ¥2.3M

-71.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$63.4 ¥9,897

-25.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$33.31 ¥5,198

32.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$64.0 ¥9,984

25.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$105 ¥16.4K

-11.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$547 ¥85.4K

94.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$405 ¥63.3K

-3.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,026 ¥160.1K

109.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$762 ¥119.0K

66.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$3,743 ¥584.1K

6.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,764 ¥275.2K

268.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,681 ¥418.4K

-71.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.12

440.09%

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 Kashiwa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $547 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 254% higher in Kashiwa. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Kashiwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $256 – making Kashiwa 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 Kashiwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,897 in Kashiwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 8% 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.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $660 in Kashiwa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kashiwa, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Kashiwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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 $1,264 in Kashiwa to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kashiwa. 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.