Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Shizuoka

For one person, living is cheaper in Shizuoka: $1,139 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $760 less a year. The total is higher in Playa del Carmen despite lower rent and utilities.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Shizuoka, Japan
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Shizuoka
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,139
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Shizuoka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Shizuoka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,139 in Shizuoka, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Shizuoka $1,139

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,788 in Shizuoka, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Shizuoka $1,788

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,437 in Shizuoka, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Shizuoka $2,437

Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than Shizuoka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shizuoka are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Shizuoka 16% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Shizuoka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$199
$6.31 ¥999
69.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$815
$32.15 ¥5,090
36.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$219
$5.00 ¥792
135.80%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$70.5
$2.96 ¥469
28.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.14
$0.99 ¥157
31.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.51
$0.72 ¥113
15.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$58.6
$2.75 ¥436
14.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.8
$3.71 ¥588
32.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Shizuoka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.44 ¥228
-2.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$40.86
$1.25 ¥197
76.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.40
$4.40 ¥697
-66.59%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.46
$1.77 ¥281
41.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$136
$6.81 ¥1,078
7.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$148
$5.26 ¥833
51.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$239
$14.22 ¥2,251
-9.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.9
$3.46 ¥549
-16.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.74
$1.92 ¥304
-28.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.35
$3.46 ¥548
-28.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.77
$3.12 ¥495
-34.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.68
$1.52 ¥240
32.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.42
$1.14 ¥181
66.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.30
$1.12 ¥178
1.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.05
$0.81 ¥129
53.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$79.5
$3.73 ¥591
14.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$183
$8.64 ¥1,369
13.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.51
$1.44 ¥228
10.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.1
$3.09 ¥489
-11.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Shizuoka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.58
$1.82 ¥288
-71.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$510
$56.8 ¥8,998
-51.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$88.6
$3.44 ¥545
38.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$60.5
$1.92 ¥304
69.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$100
$19.32 ¥3,059
-72.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.44
$1.05 ¥166
45.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$394.8K
$22.6K ¥3.6M
-6.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$432.9K
$14.9K ¥2.4M
56.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Shizuoka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,554
$139 ¥22.1K
-40.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$431
$15.66 ¥2,479
48.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$514
$31.13 ¥4,930
-11.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Shizuoka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,050
$52.0 ¥8,237
8.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$525
$10.71 ¥1,697
163.21%
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.1
$12.00 ¥1,901
-58.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Shizuoka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,854
$318 ¥50.3K
-34.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$97.3K
$13.2K ¥2.1M
-60.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Shizuoka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$809
$18.47 ¥2,924
135.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$792
$21.64 ¥3,426
96.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,354
$61.9 ¥9,794
17.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,645
$91.4 ¥14.5K
-3.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Shizuoka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.5K
$336 ¥53.2K
195.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,116
$333 ¥52.7K
14.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.2K
$1,001 ¥158.6K
67.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.1K
$725 ¥114.8K
49.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$72.7K
$4,357 ¥689.9K
-10.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$114.2K
$2,349 ¥371.9K
161.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Shizuoka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.5K
$2,197 ¥347.9K
-62.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
1
1045.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Shizuoka
$333 13% $50
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Shizuoka
$251 2.5% $6.5
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Shizuoka
$129 35.6% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Shizuoka
$186 38.6% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Shizuoka
$87 21.8% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Shizuoka
$76 14.4% $9.6
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Shizuoka
$77 52.9% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $336 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 in Shizuoka are about 2.6 times higher, 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 $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $32 in Shizuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $251 – making Shizuoka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇯🇵 Shizuoka
🕒 Local time
04:45 4:45 AM
18:45 6:45 PM
14 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
701,803
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.32 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.62 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Shizuoka 12,190 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Shizuoka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Shizuoka cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,708 in Shizuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Shizuoka, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $336 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Shizuoka?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $1,139 in Shizuoka. That makes Shizuoka about 5% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 52% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 enough for either Playa del Carmen or Shizuoka?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $1,139 in Shizuoka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Shizuoka?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,139 in Shizuoka to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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