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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,147 in Toyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,850 in Toyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,553 in Toyama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 13% 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 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.85 ¥602

204.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$43.75 ¥6,835

6.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$5.06 ¥790

130.24%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.44 ¥537

18.90%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.08 ¥169

26.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.80 ¥124

3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.44 ¥381

37.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.18 ¥497

117.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.09 ¥170

58.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.78 ¥122

189.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$3.59 ¥561

-50.70%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.98 ¥309

37.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$11.72 ¥1,831

-21.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.14 ¥959

45.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$14.20 ¥2,219

-11.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$5.69 ¥889

-46.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$2.80 ¥437

-43.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$2.89 ¥452

-26.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$4.05 ¥632

-44.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$2.61 ¥408

-23.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$2.60 ¥406

-20.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.23 ¥193

-4.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.69 ¥107

73.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$3.78 ¥591

22.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$6.22 ¥972

71.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.71 ¥267

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$1.97 ¥308

46.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.50 ¥234

-62.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$51.7 ¥8,081

-42.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$3.05 ¥476

78.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.56 ¥401

44.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$20.19 ¥3,154

-70.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.09 ¥171

42.20%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$21.0K ¥3.3M

6.22%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$18.1K ¥2.8M

43.73%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$132 ¥20.6K

-32.27%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$24.27 ¥3,791

3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$31.86 ¥4,976

-1.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$50.7 ¥7,924

33.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$11.38 ¥1,777

-55.62%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$615 ¥96.1K

-63.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$14.5K ¥2.3M

-70.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$60.7 ¥9,489

-21.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$32.63 ¥5,097

37.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$60.7 ¥9,484

35.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$101 ¥15.8K

-8.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$237 ¥37.1K

350.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$349 ¥54.5K

16.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,083 ¥169.1K

78.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$683 ¥106.6K

90.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$4,012 ¥626.8K

-0.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,868 ¥291.8K

254.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.12

440.09%

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 Toyama: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $237 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Toyama. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $278 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 13%, 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 $1,720 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,147 in Toyama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 73% 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 $1,147, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.