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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,205 in Shiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,868 in Shiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,530 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

$11.87 MX$204

$6.80 ¥1,087

74.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$34.05 ¥5,446

25.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.96 ¥793

114.72%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.70 ¥431

27.78%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.09 ¥175

37.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.76 ¥122

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.78 ¥445

8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.23 ¥677

8.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.31 ¥209

5.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.41 ¥226

31.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$4.04 ¥646

-60.15%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.44 ¥390

6.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.61 ¥1,697

-22.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.46 ¥1,034

29.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$19.01 ¥3,040

-43.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.66 ¥585

-28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.09 ¥334

-28.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.61 ¥417

-26.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.34 ¥694

-51.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.66 ¥265

12.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.29 ¥207

75.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.32 ¥212

-19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.89 ¥142

22.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.97 ¥635

4.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.23 ¥1,477

12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.11 ¥338

-18.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.97 ¥475

-12.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.67 ¥266

-67.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$55.4 ¥8,858

-51.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$4.56 ¥730

-31.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$3.32 ¥531

-24.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$23.32 ¥3,730

-86.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.16 ¥185

9.48%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$22.8K ¥3.6M

33.33%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$17.0K ¥2.7M

38.33%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$134 ¥21.5K

-38.18%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$27.40 ¥4,382

-17.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$30.82 ¥4,929

-4.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$56.2 ¥8,987

-9.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$13.92 ¥2,227

31.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$12.63 ¥2,020

-60.97%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$69.5 ¥11.1K

183.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$10.2K ¥1.6M

-48.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$44.76 ¥7,159

-17.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$29.23 ¥4,674

36.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$66.6 ¥10.7K

20.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$96.4 ¥15.4K

-7.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$466 ¥74.5K

105.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$324 ¥51.9K

47.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$854 ¥136.5K

92.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$651 ¥104.2K

88.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$4,201 ¥671.9K

-6.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$2,670 ¥427.0K

141.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,176 ¥188.1K

-43.29%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Shiga: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $466 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 76% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Shiga. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $296 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,808 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,205 in Shiga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 106% 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 $1,205, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.