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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,237 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,938 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,640 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 5% more than Nishinomiya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Nishinomiya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Nishinomiya 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$8.54 ¥1,333

37.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$31.27 ¥4,885

48.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$4.90 ¥766

137.76%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.42 ¥377

69.01%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.22 ¥191

12.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.72 ¥113

15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.71 ¥424

23.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.10 ¥485

122.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.48 ¥231

16.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$1.51 ¥236

49.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$5.19 ¥810

-65.90%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$2.11 ¥330

29.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$9.40 ¥1,469

-2.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$9.50 ¥1,484

-6.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$18.29 ¥2,858

-31.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$4.90 ¥765

-38.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.91 ¥298

-17.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$3.07 ¥480

-30.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$6.23 ¥973

-63.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$1.54 ¥241

29.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$2.43 ¥380

-15.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.26 ¥197

-6.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.83 ¥130

44.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$3.87 ¥604

19.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$9.66 ¥1,509

10.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$2.36 ¥368

-31.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.13 ¥333

35.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.49 ¥232

-61.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$48.37 ¥7,556

-38.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$3.08 ¥482

76.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.88 ¥450

28.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$15.79 ¥2,467

-62.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.10 ¥172

40.91%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$21.6K ¥3.4M

3.42%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$15.0K ¥2.4M

72.47%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$117 ¥18.2K

-23.70%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$23.45 ¥3,663

6.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$30.12 ¥4,705

4.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$63.4 ¥9,905

6.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$11.48 ¥1,794

-56.01%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$501 ¥78.2K

-55.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$12.7K ¥2.0M

-66.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$44.28 ¥6,918

7.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$30.37 ¥4,744

48.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$60.3 ¥9,420

35.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$90.5 ¥14.1K

1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$435 ¥67.9K

145.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$297 ¥46.4K

36.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$909 ¥142.0K

112.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$783 ¥122.3K

66.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$4,053 ¥633.2K

-1.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,818 ¥284.0K

264.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,966 ¥307.1K

-61.91%

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 Nishinomiya: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $435 in Nishinomiya. 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 163% higher in Nishinomiya, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Nishinomiya. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $329 in Nishinomiya – 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 Nishinomiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,855 in Nishinomiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $31.00 in Nishinomiya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,237 in Nishinomiya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nishinomiya, where all-in costs run around $1,237, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Nishinomiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nishinomiya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Nishinomiya. 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.