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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,241 in Shiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,929 in Shiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,618 in Shiga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Shiga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shiga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Shiga 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$6.46 ¥1,010

79.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$31.75 ¥4,959

48.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$5.04 ¥788

135.71%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.02 ¥472

31.79%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.31 ¥205

9.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.71 ¥110

15.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.83 ¥442

12.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.63 ¥566

87.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.32 ¥205

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.29 ¥201

70.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$3.97 ¥619

-56.93%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.10 ¥329

30.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$9.56 ¥1,493

0.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.37 ¥1,463

-3.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$18.74 ¥2,926

-31.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.55 ¥555

-18.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.95 ¥305

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.05 ¥320

4.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$4.12 ¥643

-45.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.55 ¥243

27.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.16 ¥181

71.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.35 ¥210

-8.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.80 ¥125

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$3.91 ¥611

16.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$9.49 ¥1,482

9.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.93 ¥302

-16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$3.20 ¥500

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$1.18 ¥185

-49.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$58.5 ¥9,138

-50.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$3.84 ¥599

40.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$3.17 ¥495

17.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$22.08 ¥3,448

-73.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.11 ¥174

38.74%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$21.8K ¥3.4M

3.23%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$15.2K ¥2.4M

71.80%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$143 ¥22.3K

-35.99%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$25.02 ¥3,908

0.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$19.05 ¥2,975

63.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$51.8 ¥8,091

29.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$12.30 ¥1,921

-60.49%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$535 ¥83.5K

-58.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-67.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$50.1 ¥7,826

-6.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$30.73 ¥4,799

44.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$74.1 ¥11.6K

8.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$94.2 ¥14.7K

-1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$506 ¥79.0K

109.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$338 ¥52.8K

15.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$1,045 ¥163.2K

105.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$744 ¥116.3K

70.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$3,944 ¥615.9K

1.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,670 ¥260.8K

289.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$1,227 ¥191.6K

-38.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.21

418.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Shiga: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $506 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 62% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Shiga. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $297 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 2%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,862 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,241 in Shiga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 103% 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 $1,241, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.