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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,343 in Nagoya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,108 in Nagoya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,874 in Nagoya.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 4% less than in Nagoya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Nagoya 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$8.63 ¥1,349

35.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$30.67 ¥4,791

51.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$4.88 ¥762

138.73%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.42 ¥377

69.01%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.24 ¥194

10.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.88 ¥137

-5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$3.05 ¥476

9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.07 ¥479

125.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.49 ¥233

16.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$1.48 ¥231

52.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$4.06 ¥634

-56.40%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$2.15 ¥337

26.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$15.87 ¥2,479

-42.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.03 ¥1,098

26.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$16.76 ¥2,619

-24.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$8.35 ¥1,305

-63.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$2.95 ¥461

-46.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$5.06 ¥790

-57.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$7.88 ¥1,231

-71.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$3.93 ¥613

-49.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$4.54 ¥710

-54.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.15 ¥180

2.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.93 ¥145

29.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$3.79 ¥591

22.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$9.38 ¥1,465

13.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$2.56 ¥399

-36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.06 ¥321

39.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.51 ¥236

-62.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$92.1 ¥14.4K

-67.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$3.09 ¥483

76.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.90 ¥452

27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$15.63 ¥2,441

-61.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.06 ¥165

46.23%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$21.1K ¥3.3M

5.95%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$14.9K ¥2.3M

73.65%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$115 ¥18.0K

-22.76%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$22.80 ¥3,561

9.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$31.11 ¥4,861

1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$50.1 ¥7,827

35.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$13.52 ¥2,113

113.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$11.39 ¥1,780

-55.66%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$576 ¥90.0K

-60.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$14.5K ¥2.3M

-70.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$49.73 ¥7,769

-4.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$36.03 ¥5,629

24.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$59.7 ¥9,330

37.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$95.5 ¥14.9K

-3.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$527 ¥82.3K

102.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$346 ¥54.1K

17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,215 ¥189.8K

59.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$734 ¥114.7K

77.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$2,000 ¥312.5K

99.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,033 ¥161.4K

541.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,929 ¥301.3K

-61.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.66

589.76%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Nagoya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $527 in Nagoya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nagoya pays 158% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $31.00 in Nagoya. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $379, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Nagoya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 158% lower in Nagoya. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $527 in Nagoya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 209% less than in Nagoya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $225 in Playa del Carmen versus $576 in Nagoya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,343 in Nagoya, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Nagoya. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nagoya, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Nagoya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Nagoya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.