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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,299 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,016 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,732 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen and Nishinomiya have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Playa del Carmen and Nishinomiya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Nishinomiya 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.98 ¥1,116

68.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$35.32 ¥5,650

17.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.78 ¥764

122.59%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.00 ¥480

17.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.08 ¥173

39.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.70 ¥112

38.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.84 ¥454

3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.03 ¥485

46.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.52 ¥243

-9.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.72 ¥275

9.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$4.79 ¥766

-65.76%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.41 ¥385

4.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.57 ¥1,691

-21.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.56 ¥1,209

10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$32.07 ¥5,130

-66.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$5.42 ¥867

-52.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.19 ¥350

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.38 ¥541

-43.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$6.89 ¥1,102

-69.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.77 ¥283

0.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.65 ¥423

-17.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.32 ¥211

-21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.84 ¥135

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.38 ¥540

20.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$9.31 ¥1,489

10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.77 ¥444

-38.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.28 ¥365

13.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.28 ¥205

-60.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$54.5 ¥8,712

-51.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.44 ¥550

-5.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.92 ¥467

-14.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$17.26 ¥2,761

-81.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.23 ¥196

6.50%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$23.4K ¥3.7M

29.25%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$17.3K ¥2.8M

35.81%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$133 ¥21.3K

-37.82%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$27.10 ¥4,335

-18.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$30.40 ¥4,863

-3.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$52.8 ¥8,441

-2.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.65 ¥2,183

34.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$12.23 ¥1,957

-58.54%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$69.8 ¥11.2K

187.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$10.5K ¥1.7M

-50.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$44.38 ¥7,098

-16.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$28.99 ¥4,636

37.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$57.2 ¥9,144

37.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$92.5 ¥14.8K

-5.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$461 ¥73.8K

110.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$335 ¥53.5K

39.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$860 ¥137.5K

90.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$657 ¥105.0K

85.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,959 ¥313.4K

-66.11%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Nishinomiya: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $461 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 195% higher in Nishinomiya. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Nishinomiya. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $378 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,949 in Nishinomiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $35.00 in Nishinomiya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Nishinomiya at $1,299. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nishinomiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nishinomiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.