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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,290 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,998 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,706 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 1% cheaper than Kitakyushu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kitakyushu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kitakyushu 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.35 ¥1,175

61.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$42.01 ¥6,719

2.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.93 ¥788

116.02%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.02 ¥483

14.24%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.09 ¥174

37.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.77 ¥124

23.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.62 ¥419

15.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.21 ¥513

43.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.56 ¥250

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.66 ¥266

11.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$4.05 ¥648

-60.25%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.54 ¥407

1.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.11 ¥1,617

-18.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.22 ¥995

34.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$20.46 ¥3,273

-47.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.18 ¥508

-17.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.36 ¥218

9.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.37 ¥219

40.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$3.12 ¥500

-33.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.83 ¥453

-34.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$3.12 ¥498

-27.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.92 ¥147

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.79 ¥127

37.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.99 ¥638

4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.19 ¥990

67.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.95 ¥312

-11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.13 ¥341

22.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.65 ¥263

-67.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$55.6 ¥8,888

-51.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$4.67 ¥748

-32.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.92 ¥467

-14.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$19.35 ¥3,095

-83.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.18 ¥189

7.63%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$23.1K ¥3.7M

31.56%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$19.8K ¥3.2M

19.13%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$217 ¥34.7K

-61.74%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$26.66 ¥4,263

-14.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$35.62 ¥5,697

-17.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$56.4 ¥9,022

-9.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$13.65 ¥2,183

34.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$14.11 ¥2,256

-65.06%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$418 ¥66.8K

-52.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$13.3K ¥2.1M

-60.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$43.39 ¥6,939

-14.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$28.98 ¥4,635

37.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$64.9 ¥10.4K

23.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$59.5 ¥9,512

50.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$463 ¥74.1K

106.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$328 ¥52.5K

45.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$856 ¥136.9K

92.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$662 ¥105.9K

85.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$4,507 ¥720.9K

-13.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$2,376 ¥380.0K

171.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,503 ¥240.3K

-55.61%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $463 in Kitakyushu. 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 125% higher in Kitakyushu, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Kitakyushu. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $281 in Kitakyushu – 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 Kitakyushu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $1,290 in Kitakyushu – roughly 2% apart. Kitakyushu costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,935 in Kitakyushu. 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.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $42.00 in Kitakyushu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Kitakyushu at $1,290. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kitakyushu 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $1,290 in Kitakyushu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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