Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Miyazaki

For one person, living is cheaper in Miyazaki: $1,105 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Miyazaki
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,105
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Miyazaki

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Miyazaki actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,105 in Miyazaki.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Miyazaki $1,105

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,754 in Miyazaki.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Miyazaki $1,754

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,402 in Miyazaki.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Miyazaki $2,402

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 9% more expensive than in Miyazaki, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Miyazaki 18% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Miyazaki
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$6.21 ¥982
74.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$27.67 ¥4,371
59.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$4.65 ¥735
152.90%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$2.20 ¥347
67.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$1.00 ¥159
34.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$0.65 ¥103
26.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$1.54 ¥243
98.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$2.19 ¥346
125.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Miyazaki
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.29 ¥204
13.95%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$1.56 ¥246
42.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$2.46 ¥389
-39.84%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$2.10 ¥332
18.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$12.67 ¥2,001
-40.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$5.24 ¥828
51.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$18.99 ¥3,001
-33.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$3.54 ¥559
-21.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$1.79 ¥282
-20.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$2.92 ¥462
-10.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$3.13 ¥494
-31.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$1.84 ¥291
9.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$1.92 ¥303
3.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$0.66 ¥103
72.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$0.91 ¥143
31.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$3.86 ¥609
10.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$6.33 ¥1,000
58.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$1.66 ¥263
-7.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$1.81 ¥286
46.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Miyazaki
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$1.52 ¥241
-65.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
$52.6 ¥8,315
-47.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$3.39 ¥535
44.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$2.03 ¥320
68.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$15.96 ¥2,522
-66.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$1.01 ¥160
43.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$21.3K ¥3.4M
-0.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$14.8K ¥2.3M
55.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Miyazaki
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$107 ¥16.9K
-20.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$24.98 ¥3,947
-6.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$33.21 ¥5,247
-14.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Miyazaki
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$53.0 ¥8,372
17.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$10.95 ¥1,729
-53.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Miyazaki
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$127 ¥20.1K
57.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$12.4K ¥2.0M
-68.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Miyazaki
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$48.45 ¥7,655
-8.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$24.75 ¥3,910
67.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$56.2 ¥8,877
29.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$47.91 ¥7,569
87.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Miyazaki
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$528 ¥83.4K
85.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$333 ¥52.6K
11.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$1,084 ¥171.2K
55.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$739 ¥116.8K
48.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$4,299 ¥679.1K
-8.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$1,750 ¥276.5K
250.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Miyazaki
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$1,281 ¥202.4K
-42.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
1.97
481.22%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Miyazaki: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Miyazaki
$333 10.6% $40
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Miyazaki
$271 4.9% $13
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Miyazaki
$109 45.7% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Miyazaki
$165 20.3% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Miyazaki
$80 28.5% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Miyazaki
$75 3.4% $2.5
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Miyazaki
$72 39.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $979 in Playa del Carmen and $528 in Miyazaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miyazaki pays 74% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $28.00 in Miyazaki. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $271, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇯🇵 Miyazaki
🕒 Local time
22:17 10:17 PM
12:17 12:17 PM
14 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
401,339
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Miyazaki 12,880 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Miyazaki

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Miyazaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and in Miyazaki?
Playa del Carmen and Miyazaki differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,204 vs $1,105 including rent). Miyazaki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 74% lower in Miyazaki. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Miyazaki?
Rent for a central apartment: $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $528 in Miyazaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Miyazaki – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Miyazaki?
All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,105 in Miyazaki – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,105 in Miyazaki versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Miyazaki but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Miyazaki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Miyazaki?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Miyazaki safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Miyazaki are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Miyazaki?
Expats usually find Miyazaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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