Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nagano

For one person, living costs are similar in Playa del Carmen and in Nagano: $1,204 and $1,231 a month, rent and utilities included.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Nagano
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,231
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Nagano actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,231 in Nagano, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Nagano $1,231

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,891 in Nagano, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Nagano $1,891

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,550 in Nagano, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Nagano $2,550

Playa del Carmen is about 2% cheaper than Nagano, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Nagano are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Nagano 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Nagano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$6.45 ¥1,019
68.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$40.32 ¥6,370
9.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$5.13 ¥810
129.24%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$3.37 ¥532
9.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$1.06 ¥167
26.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$0.80 ¥126
2.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$2.59 ¥409
18.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$3.06 ¥483
61.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Nagano
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.45 ¥228
1.38%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$1.64 ¥260
35.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$3.57 ¥564
-58.54%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$1.99 ¥315
25.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$10.32 ¥1,630
-27.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$6.17 ¥975
29.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$14.40 ¥2,275
-12.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$5.82 ¥919
-52.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$2.69 ¥425
-46.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$2.84 ¥448
-7.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$4.06 ¥642
-47.29%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$2.50 ¥396
-19.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$2.54 ¥401
-21.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$1.25 ¥197
-8.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$0.76 ¥121
57.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$3.68 ¥582
15.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$6.21 ¥982
61.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$1.82 ¥287
-15.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$2.01 ¥317
32.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Nagano
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$1.31 ¥207
-59.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
$51.2 ¥8,082
-46.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$3.17 ¥501
54.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$2.70 ¥427
27.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$20.17 ¥3,187
-73.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$1.05 ¥166
38.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$21.6K ¥3.4M
-2.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$15.5K ¥2.4M
48.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Nagano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$130 ¥20.6K
-34.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$23.91 ¥3,778
-1.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$12.76 ¥2,016
122.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Nagano
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$53.1 ¥8,387
17.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$12.71 ¥2,008
-59.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Nagano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$622 ¥98.3K
-67.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$14.9K ¥2.4M
-73.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Nagano
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$61.8 ¥9,759
-28.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$36.29 ¥5,733
13.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$62.0 ¥9,797
17.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$100 ¥15.8K
-10.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Nagano
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$557 ¥88.0K
75.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$375 ¥59.2K
-0.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$1,142 ¥180.4K
47.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$648 ¥102.4K
68.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$4,188 ¥661.7K
-5.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$1,974 ¥311.9K
210.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Nagano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$627 ¥99.0K
17.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
2.64
333.71%

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 Nagano: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Nagano
$375 0.5% $2
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Nagano
$287 11.2% $29
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Nagano
$134 33.1% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Nagano
$167 21.6% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Nagano
$117 4.9% $5.5
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Nagano
$79 8.4% $6.1
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Nagano
$73 41.4% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $557 in Nagano. 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 18% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Nagano. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Playa del Carmen vs $287 in Nagano – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇯🇵 Nagano
🕒 Local time
22:53 10:53 PM
12:53 12:53 PM
14 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
372,760
💱 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 Nagano 12,070 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Nagano

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 Nagano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Nagano?
Nagano costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Nagano?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,847 in Nagano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Nagano?
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 dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Nagano?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen and $40.00 in Nagano. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Nagano?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,231 in Nagano. That's a gap of about 2%.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Nagano?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Nagano at $1,231. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nagano it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Nagano?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,204 versus $1,231 in Nagano. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Nagano?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nagano makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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