Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Suginami-ku Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Suginami-ku

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,196 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,894 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,592 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Suginami-ku, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Suginami-ku are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Suginami-ku 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.00 ¥1,120

67.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$34.21 ¥5,473

21.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.06 ¥810

110.28%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.16 ¥506

11.39%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.14 ¥182

32.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.74 ¥119

31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.04 ¥326

44.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.09 ¥335

112.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.51 ¥242

-8.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.76 ¥281

7.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$4.84 ¥774

-66.12%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.52 ¥243

65.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.18 ¥1,628

-18.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.27 ¥1,004

33.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$15.64 ¥2,502

-31.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$5.95 ¥952

-56.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$3.08 ¥493

-52.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$4.10 ¥655

-53.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$4.64 ¥742

-55.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$3.33 ¥533

-46.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$3.57 ¥570

-38.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.34 ¥215

-22.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.87 ¥139

24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.25 ¥680

-4.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$9.29 ¥1,486

11.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.84 ¥294

-7.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.06 ¥330

25.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.59 ¥254

-67.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$55.1 ¥8,808

-51.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.57 ¥570

-8.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.02 ¥484

-17.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$21.93 ¥3,507

-85.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.17 ¥188

11.97%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$22.9K ¥3.7M

32.01%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$18.3K ¥2.9M

28.18%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$82.5 ¥13.2K

0.42%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$27.76 ¥4,440

-19.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$33.70 ¥5,391

-12.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$56.2 ¥8,994

-8.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.00 ¥2,240

30.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$11.32 ¥1,811

-55.21%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$287 ¥45.9K

-30.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$14.0K ¥2.2M

-62.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$20.99 ¥3,357

75.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$29.03 ¥4,643

37.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$60.9 ¥9,737

28.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$98.4 ¥15.7K

-11.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$463 ¥74.1K

109.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$323 ¥51.7K

44.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$879 ¥140.6K

86.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$660 ¥105.5K

85.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,161 ¥665.5K

-5.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,507 ¥401.0K

159.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,769 ¥442.9K

-76.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

471.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Suginami-ku: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $463 in Suginami-ku. 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 317% higher in Suginami-ku, 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 $34.00 in Suginami-ku. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $320 in Suginami-ku – 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 Suginami-ku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,794 in Suginami-ku. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suginami-ku, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,196 in Suginami-ku. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 108% less in Suginami-ku. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suginami-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,196, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Suginami-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suginami-ku – 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 Suginami-ku. 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.