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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,202 in Shiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,890 in Shiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,578 in Shiga, rent included.

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

Both Playa del Carmen and Shiga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Shiga 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.01 ¥1,104

67.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$35.17 ¥5,541

19.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.76 ¥750

120.80%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.76 ¥435

30.07%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.09 ¥171

38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.76 ¥119

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.82 ¥444

4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.38 ¥690

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.32 ¥207

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.42 ¥224

32.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$4.07 ¥642

-61.67%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.41 ¥379

8.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.55 ¥1,663

-21.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.45 ¥1,017

29.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$18.59 ¥2,930

-41.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.48 ¥549

-22.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.09 ¥329

-27.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.55 ¥402

-26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.37 ¥689

-49.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.66 ¥261

12.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.24 ¥195

79.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.33 ¥210

-19.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.82 ¥129

32.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.87 ¥609

8.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.20 ¥1,450

13.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.14 ¥338

-22.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.04 ¥479

-14.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.62 ¥255

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$55.2 ¥8,703

-52.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$4.58 ¥722

-32.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$3.36 ¥530

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$23.51 ¥3,705

-86.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.21 ¥191

8.26%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$22.9K ¥3.6M

30.44%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$17.2K ¥2.7M

35.22%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$130 ¥20.5K

-37.62%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$27.43 ¥4,322

-17.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$30.97 ¥4,880

-2.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$56.5 ¥8,897

-6.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$13.66 ¥2,153

34.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$12.70 ¥2,001

-61.26%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$69.3 ¥10.9K

189.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$10.3K ¥1.6M

-49.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$43.83 ¥6,906

-18.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$29.54 ¥4,655

35.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$67.3 ¥10.6K

18.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$94.2 ¥14.8K

-8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$476 ¥75.0K

105.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$330 ¥51.9K

42.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$850 ¥133.9K

94.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$657 ¥103.5K

83.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$4,731 ¥745.4K

-16.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,754 ¥276.4K

276.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,155 ¥182.0K

-41.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.81

530.94%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shiga: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $476 in Shiga. 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 71% higher in Shiga, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Shiga. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $293 in Shiga – 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 Shiga: 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,803 in Shiga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shiga, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,202 in Shiga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 111% less in Shiga. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shiga, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Shiga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shiga – 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 Shiga. 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.