🙂A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,300 in Maebashi, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,030 in Maebashi, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,760 in Maebashi, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen and Maebashi have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Maebashi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen3% lower, Maebashi3% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Maebashi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73MX$203
$4.99¥798
135.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62MX$721
$35.13¥5,619
18.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.64MX$184
$5.79¥926
83.77%
Cappuccino
$3.52MX$61.0
$2.98¥477
18.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.17
$0.80¥128
88.75%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97MX$16.87
$0.68¥109
42.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95MX$51.1
$2.36¥377
25.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45MX$77.2
$3.20¥513
39.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Maebashi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.97
$1.41¥225
-2.13%
White Bread(500g)
$1.89MX$32.78
$1.74¥278
8.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.64MX$28.37
$1.42¥227
15.49%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.42
$1.78¥285
41.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.34MX$145
$17.00¥2,719
-50.94%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.34MX$145
$5.11¥817
63.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.73MX$186
$15.49¥2,477
-30.73%
Apples(1kg)
$2.60MX$45.12
$8.97¥1,435
-71.01%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46MX$25.25
$2.76¥442
-47.10%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.94
$4.79¥767
-60.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$35.98
$9.77¥1,562
-78.71%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78MX$30.77
$4.00¥640
-55.50%
Onion(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.87
$2.58¥412
-15.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04MX$18.02
$1.33¥213
-21.80%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08MX$18.66
$0.54¥86.3
100.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08MX$70.7
$3.46¥553
17.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.32MX$179
$9.61¥1,536
7.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71MX$29.67
$2.85¥456
-40.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58MX$44.63
$2.29¥366
12.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Maebashi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.51MX$8.83
$1.65¥264
-69.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.46MX$459
$54.4¥8,708
-51.40%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.26MX$56.5
$3.51¥561
-7.12%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.49MX$43.17
$2.98¥477
-16.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.25MX$56.3
$34.41¥5,503
-90.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.65
$1.17¥187
11.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3KMX$524.7K
$23.1K¥3.7M
30.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$406.0K
$16.7K¥2.7M
40.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Maebashi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.9MX$1,436
$138¥22.1K
-39.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22MX$385
$26.89¥4,301
-17.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34MX$508
$33.74¥5,397
-13.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Maebashi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.6MX$895
$55.2¥8,826
-6.43%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32MX$317
$13.95¥2,231
31.33%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07MX$87.8
$12.25¥1,959
-58.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Maebashi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,480
$474¥75.8K
-57.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,212MX$90.3K
$11.1K¥1.8M
-53.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Maebashi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92MX$640
$46.31¥7,407
-20.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79MX$689
$32.09¥5,133
24.00%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.5MX$1,360
$56.5¥9,041
38.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1MX$1,509
$92.7¥14.8K
-6.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Maebashi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$973MX$16.9K
$462¥73.8K
110.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$468MX$8,105
$327¥52.3K
42.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,641MX$28.4K
$861¥137.7K
90.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,221MX$21.2K
$652¥104.4K
87.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,946MX$68.4K
$4,596¥735.1K
-14.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,498MX$112.6K
$2,516¥402.4K
158.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Maebashi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$664MX$11.5K
$1,715¥274.2K
-61.28%
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: June 2, 2026
Last update for Maebashi: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $462 in Maebashi. 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 158% higher in Maebashi. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Maebashi. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $364 in Maebashi – 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 Maebashi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,950 in Maebashi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Maebashi?
Groceries cost about 46% more in Maebashi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $474 in Maebashi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Maebashi?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Maebashi at $1,300. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maebashi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Maebashi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maebashi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared