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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,239 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,952 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,666 in Matsuyama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Matsuyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Matsuyama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Matsuyama 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.00 ¥1,137

71.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$35.00 ¥5,687

19.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.44 ¥884

97.61%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.09 ¥502

13.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.11 ¥180

30.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.80 ¥130

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.55 ¥414

15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.17 ¥514

42.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.53 ¥248

-6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.52 ¥247

21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.69 ¥762

-66.52%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.21 ¥359

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.90 ¥1,609

-16.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.54 ¥1,063

28.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$15.32 ¥2,490

-30.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.41 ¥879

-51.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.63 ¥428

-45.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.07 ¥661

-51.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.04 ¥981

-65.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.16 ¥514

-41.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.58 ¥419

-15.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.38 ¥224

-25.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.88 ¥142

21.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.08 ¥663

0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.57 ¥1,392

18.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.82 ¥296

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.19 ¥356

15.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.61 ¥261

-68.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$56.0 ¥9,099

-53.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.52 ¥572

-8.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.00 ¥488

-19.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$20.64 ¥3,353

-84.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.20 ¥195

10.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$23.0K ¥3.7M

29.08%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$17.3K ¥2.8M

36.97%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$141 ¥22.9K

-41.70%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$26.78 ¥4,351

-14.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$34.23 ¥5,561

-12.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$54.8 ¥8,896

-5.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$13.63 ¥2,215

35.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$12.61 ¥2,048

-60.51%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$283 ¥45.9K

-30.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$13.4K ¥2.2M

-60.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$43.18 ¥7,016

-17.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.37 ¥4,772

37.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$60.7 ¥9,860

29.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$90.7 ¥14.7K

-1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$398 ¥64.7K

137.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$324 ¥52.7K

46.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$878 ¥142.7K

87.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$652 ¥106.0K

85.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$4,812 ¥781.8K

-15.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,180 ¥354.2K

196.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Matsuyama: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $398 in Matsuyama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Matsuyama. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $317 in Matsuyama – 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 Matsuyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $1,239 in Matsuyama – roughly 1% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,859 in Matsuyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 115% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $283 in Matsuyama. 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 Matsuyama, where all-in costs run around $1,239, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Matsuyama 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 $1,239 in Matsuyama to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Matsuyama. 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.