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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,278 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,974 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,669 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

$11.72 MX$203

$7.34 ¥1,157

59.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$41.29 ¥6,506

1.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.94 ¥779

112.75%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.20 ¥504

12.19%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.09 ¥172

38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.75 ¥118

22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.63 ¥414

12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.05 ¥480

44.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.55 ¥244

-9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.64 ¥259

14.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$4.29 ¥676

-63.64%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.55 ¥401

2.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.23 ¥1,612

-18.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.28 ¥989

32.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$20.94 ¥3,300

-48.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.21 ¥506

-15.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.36 ¥214

11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.41 ¥223

32.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$3.29 ¥519

-33.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.71 ¥427

-31.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.17 ¥499

-29.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.92 ¥145

16.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.75 ¥119

45.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.84 ¥605

9.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.21 ¥979

67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.95 ¥307

-14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.10 ¥331

24.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.65 ¥259

-67.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$55.3 ¥8,718

-52.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$4.55 ¥717

-32.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.92 ¥460

-17.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$19.38 ¥3,054

-83.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.23 ¥193

6.50%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$22.8K ¥3.6M

30.82%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.0K ¥3.2M

16.35%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$216 ¥34.0K

-62.33%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$27.59 ¥4,348

-18.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$35.33 ¥5,566

-14.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$56.0 ¥8,829

-5.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$13.63 ¥2,148

34.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$13.98 ¥2,203

-64.81%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$408 ¥64.2K

-50.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$13.5K ¥2.1M

-61.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$42.79 ¥6,742

-16.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$29.20 ¥4,600

37.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$65.2 ¥10.3K

22.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$60.5 ¥9,524

43.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$467 ¥73.6K

109.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$334 ¥52.7K

40.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$867 ¥136.6K

90.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$663 ¥104.5K

81.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$4,260 ¥671.3K

-7.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$2,070 ¥326.1K

219.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,463 ¥230.5K

-53.74%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $467 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 116% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $41.00 in Kitakyushu. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $284 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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $1,278 in Kitakyushu – roughly 1% apart. Kitakyushu costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,918 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 13% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $41.00 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 $1,260, than in Kitakyushu at $1,278. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $1,278 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.