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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,188 in Toyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,866 in Toyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,543 in Toyama, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.71 ¥913

105.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$41.63 ¥6,659

-0.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.24 ¥678

150.94%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.07 ¥491

14.66%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.67 ¥108

125.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.64 ¥102

51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.13 ¥341

38.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.04 ¥327

118.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.24 ¥198

11.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.80 ¥127

136.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$4.99 ¥798

-67.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.31 ¥370

8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.41 ¥1,025

30.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.51 ¥561

137.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$15.29 ¥2,446

-29.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$5.88 ¥940

-55.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$3.14 ¥502

-53.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.97 ¥636

-52.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$6.01 ¥962

-65.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$3.26 ¥521

-45.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$4.35 ¥695

-49.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.35 ¥216

-22.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.63 ¥100

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.24 ¥679

-3.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$9.29 ¥1,486

11.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.75 ¥281

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.04 ¥327

26.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.39 ¥222

-63.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$56.4 ¥9,013

-53.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.37 ¥540

-3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.30 ¥527

-24.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$21.77 ¥3,482

-85.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.20 ¥193

9.17%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$23.0K ¥3.7M

31.85%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$18.3K ¥2.9M

28.23%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$145 ¥23.1K

-42.71%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$27.48 ¥4,396

-19.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$33.49 ¥5,356

-12.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$42.17 ¥6,746

22.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.60 ¥2,175

34.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$12.55 ¥2,008

-59.60%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$137 ¥22.0K

46.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-61.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$42.39 ¥6,781

-12.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$29.83 ¥4,771

33.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$60.1 ¥9,610

30.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$110 ¥17.5K

-20.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$262 ¥41.9K

271.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$343 ¥54.9K

36.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$704 ¥112.6K

133.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$655 ¥104.7K

86.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,182 ¥669.0K

-5.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,569 ¥410.9K

152.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Toyama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 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 $42.00 in Toyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $289 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Toyama: 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,783 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,188 in Toyama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 113% 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 $1,188, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.