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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,234 in Toyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,900 in Toyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,567 in Toyama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Toyama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Toyama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Toyama 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$5.67 ¥926

110.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$41.20 ¥6,724

1.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$4.08 ¥666

155.39%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$3.18 ¥518

10.38%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$0.72 ¥117

111.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.85

$0.60 ¥97.8

51.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$2.03 ¥331

49.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$2.11 ¥344

107.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$1.22 ¥199

16.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$0.84 ¥138

117.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$4.92 ¥803

-66.87%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$2.18 ¥357

16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$6.18 ¥1,009

38.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$3.48 ¥569

143.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$15.38 ¥2,510

-29.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$5.94 ¥970

-53.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$3.20 ¥522

-55.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.84

$3.98 ¥649

-52.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$6.01 ¥980

-63.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$3.27 ¥534

-45.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$4.30 ¥701

-48.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$1.38 ¥225

-22.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$0.63 ¥102

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$4.18 ¥682

-0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$9.30 ¥1,518

12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$1.74 ¥285

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.93

$2.03 ¥331

27.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$1.38 ¥226

-63.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

$54.5 ¥8,892

-52.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$3.37 ¥550

-4.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$3.27 ¥534

-23.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$21.94 ¥3,580

-85.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$1.21 ¥198

4.13%

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

$29.7K MX$516.7K

$23.4K ¥3.8M

26.88%

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

$23.7K MX$412.2K

$18.2K ¥3.0M

30.46%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$142 ¥23.1K

-42.05%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$27.43 ¥4,477

-17.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$34.03 ¥5,553

-13.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$41.93 ¥6,843

24.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

$14.00 ¥2,284

31.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$12.30 ¥2,007

-59.92%

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

$202 MX$3,512

$139 ¥22.7K

45.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$13.9K ¥2.3M

-62.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$41.09 ¥6,706

-12.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.09 ¥4,747

38.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$59.0 ¥9,633

35.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$109 ¥17.8K

-18.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$259 ¥42.3K

265.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,098

$347 ¥56.6K

34.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$698 ¥113.8K

133.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$665 ¥108.5K

79.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.5K

$4,665 ¥761.3K

-15.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$2,002 ¥326.7K

221.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.05

457.07%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Toyama: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $259 in Toyama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $41.00 in Toyama. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $289 in Toyama – 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 Toyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,850 in Toyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Toyama, 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $1,234 in Toyama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 110% less in Toyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Toyama, where all-in costs run around $1,234, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Toyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Toyama – 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 Toyama. 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.