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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,164 in Shizuoka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,830 in Shizuoka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,496 in Shizuoka, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Shizuoka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shizuoka are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Shizuoka 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.54 ¥1,026

77.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$32.43 ¥5,087

45.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.24 ¥822

126.72%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.97 ¥465

34.01%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.00 ¥157

43.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.72 ¥112

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.83 ¥444

12.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.01 ¥628

69.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.53 ¥241

9.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.33 ¥209

65.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$4.64 ¥728

-63.15%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.83 ¥287

49.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.16 ¥1,123

33.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.51 ¥865

63.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.35 ¥2,251

-10.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$3.48 ¥546

-16.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.96 ¥308

-23.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$3.40 ¥533

-36.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$3.26 ¥511

-30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.52 ¥239

30.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.16 ¥182

71.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.15 ¥181

6.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.85 ¥133

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$3.80 ¥596

19.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.87 ¥1,392

16.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.51 ¥237

7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$3.19 ¥501

-9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.91 ¥299

-68.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$58.5 ¥9,170

-50.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$3.61 ¥566

49.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.96 ¥308

90.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$19.66 ¥3,084

-70.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.06 ¥167

45.28%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$22.4K ¥3.5M

0.59%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$15.7K ¥2.5M

66.38%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$141 ¥22.2K

-35.38%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$15.68 ¥2,460

60.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$31.75 ¥4,980

-1.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$53.2 ¥8,351

26.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$11.10 ¥1,741

162.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$12.50 ¥1,960

-61.12%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$328 ¥51.4K

-31.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$13.6K ¥2.1M

-68.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$19.07 ¥2,991

146.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$22.25 ¥3,490

99.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$63.0 ¥9,883

27.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$93.4 ¥14.7K

-0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$338 ¥53.0K

214.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$340 ¥53.3K

14.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$1,023 ¥160.5K

110.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$753 ¥118.2K

68.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$3,759 ¥589.6K

6.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,819 ¥285.4K

257.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,280 ¥357.6K

-66.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1045.00%

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 Shizuoka: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $338 in Shizuoka. 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 201% higher in Shizuoka, 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 Shizuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $259 – making Shizuoka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Shizuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,746 in Shizuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shizuoka, 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 $1,164 in Shizuoka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 103% less in Shizuoka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shizuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,164, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Shizuoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shizuoka – 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 Shizuoka. 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.