Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Setagaya-ku Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Setagaya-ku

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,175 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,805 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,434 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Setagaya-ku, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Setagaya-ku are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Setagaya-ku 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$6.27 ¥976

86.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$25.53 ¥3,973

82.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$4.47 ¥696

160.63%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.89 ¥450

41.52%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.07 ¥167

28.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.60 ¥93.8

38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.24 ¥349

49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.07 ¥477

125.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.24 ¥192

39.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.71 ¥265

32.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$3.57 ¥556

-50.42%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$1.22 ¥190

123.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$11.57 ¥1,800

-20.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.85 ¥911

52.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$14.22 ¥2,213

-11.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$5.69 ¥885

-46.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.79 ¥435

-43.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$2.77 ¥431

-23.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$4.07 ¥634

-44.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$2.62 ¥407

-23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$2.65 ¥412

-22.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.26 ¥197

-6.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.54 ¥83.5

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$3.70 ¥576

25.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$6.28 ¥978

70.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.71 ¥267

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.01 ¥312

43.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.46 ¥227

-60.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$58.8 ¥9,152

-49.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.61 ¥405

108.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.55 ¥397

45.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$20.04 ¥3,119

-70.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.06 ¥164

46.23%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$21.6K ¥3.4M

3.28%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$17.8K ¥2.8M

45.88%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$130 ¥20.3K

-31.54%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$24.06 ¥3,745

4.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$31.88 ¥4,962

-1.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$50.4 ¥7,851

34.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$11.79 ¥1,835

-57.17%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$635 ¥98.8K

-64.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$14.5K ¥2.3M

-70.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$36.87 ¥5,739

28.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$32.69 ¥5,087

37.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$60.4 ¥9,402

35.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$62.1 ¥9,660

48.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$459 ¥71.4K

132.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$320 ¥49.9K

26.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,206 ¥187.8K

60.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$693 ¥107.8K

87.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$4,726 ¥735.6K

-15.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$2,124 ¥330.6K

211.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,446 ¥225.1K

-48.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

472.50%

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 Setagaya-ku: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $459 in Setagaya-ku. 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 93% higher in Setagaya-ku, 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 $26.00 in Setagaya-ku. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $282 in Setagaya-ku – 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 Setagaya-ku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,763 in Setagaya-ku. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,175 in Setagaya-ku. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 97% less in Setagaya-ku. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Setagaya-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,175, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Setagaya-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setagaya-ku – 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 Setagaya-ku. 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.