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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,163 in Takamatsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,855 in Takamatsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,548 in Takamatsu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Takamatsu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Takamatsu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Takamatsu 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$6.23 ¥973

87.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$34.01 ¥5,313

36.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$5.14 ¥803

126.65%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.28 ¥512

24.70%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.09 ¥170

25.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.67 ¥104

23.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.66 ¥416

25.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.06 ¥477

125.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.41 ¥220

22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$1.46 ¥228

54.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.69 ¥264

4.73%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$2.20 ¥344

24.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$11.40 ¥1,780

-19.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.11 ¥955

45.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$16.84 ¥2,630

-25.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$5.09 ¥795

-40.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$2.26 ¥353

-30.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$3.14 ¥491

-32.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$4.21 ¥658

-46.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$2.56 ¥400

-21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$2.25 ¥352

-8.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.27 ¥198

-7.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.83 ¥129

44.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$3.78 ¥590

22.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$7.41 ¥1,158

44.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.86 ¥291

-12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.14 ¥334

34.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.45 ¥227

-60.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$54.0 ¥8,441

-44.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.99 ¥467

82.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.76 ¥431

34.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$19.29 ¥3,014

-69.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.06 ¥165

46.23%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$19.9K ¥3.1M

12.38%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$12.9K ¥2.0M

100.98%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$131 ¥20.5K

-31.97%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$24.19 ¥3,780

3.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$30.52 ¥4,768

3.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$51.3 ¥8,009

32.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$3.18 ¥497

809.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$11.84 ¥1,850

-57.35%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$572 ¥89.4K

-60.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$12.2K ¥1.9M

-65.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$55.1 ¥8,604

-13.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$31.12 ¥4,862

44.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$55.4 ¥8,651

48.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$94.0 ¥14.7K

-2.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$411 ¥64.3K

159.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$296 ¥46.2K

37.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,005 ¥157.0K

92.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$774 ¥120.9K

68.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$4,272 ¥667.4K

-6.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,920 ¥300.0K

245.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,731 ¥270.4K

-56.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.06

455.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Takamatsu: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $411 in Takamatsu. 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 131% higher in Takamatsu, 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 $34.00 in Takamatsu. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $288 in Takamatsu – 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 Takamatsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,744 in Takamatsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Takamatsu, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,163 in Takamatsu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 81% less in Takamatsu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Takamatsu, where all-in costs run around $1,163, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Takamatsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Takamatsu – 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 Takamatsu. 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.