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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,304 in Kyoto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,171 in Kyoto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,039 in Kyoto, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 1% cheaper than Kyoto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kyoto are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Kyoto 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$10.47 ¥1,675

14.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$35.21 ¥5,636

21.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.63 ¥902

88.10%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.39 ¥543

6.78%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.91 ¥146

61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.80 ¥128

17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.40 ¥544

-9.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.54 ¥1,048

-31.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.68 ¥270

-14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.70 ¥273

10.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.21 ¥514

-49.22%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.35 ¥376

12.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.72 ¥1,556

-15.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.49 ¥1,199

10.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$15.74 ¥2,519

-29.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$5.64 ¥903

-53.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.50 ¥400

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$6.41 ¥1,027

-68.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.97 ¥635

-47.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.57 ¥252

14.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.28 ¥365

-4.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.29 ¥207

-16.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.01 ¥162

2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.07 ¥652

-2.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.49 ¥1,198

36.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.80 ¥288

-3.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.56 ¥570

-29.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.64 ¥263

-68.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$69.8 ¥11.2K

-61.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.55 ¥568

-11.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$3.02 ¥483

-20.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$17.89 ¥2,864

-82.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.24 ¥198

2.42%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$23.2K ¥3.7M

33.38%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$17.2K ¥2.8M

35.46%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$111 ¥17.8K

-26.18%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$26.83 ¥4,296

-16.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$33.16 ¥5,308

-10.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$56.9 ¥9,105

-8.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$20.95 ¥3,353

-10.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$13.35 ¥2,137

-62.77%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$367 ¥58.8K

-46.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,478 ¥1.2M

-29.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$46.39 ¥7,427

-21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$31.67 ¥5,070

26.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$72.8 ¥11.7K

9.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$90.2 ¥14.4K

-1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$575 ¥92.0K

67.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$344 ¥55.0K

35.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,650 ¥264.1K

-3.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$942 ¥150.8K

28.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,882 ¥301.3K

-61.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.78

541.57%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kyoto: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $575 in Kyoto. 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 161% higher in Kyoto, 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 $35.00 in Kyoto. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $316 in Kyoto – 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 Kyoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,304 in Kyoto – roughly 1% apart. Kyoto costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,955 in Kyoto. 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 26% more in Kyoto, 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 $35.00 in Kyoto. 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 $1,287, than in Kyoto at $1,304. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kyoto 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,304 in Kyoto. 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, Kyoto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.