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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,281 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,919 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,557 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 2% cheaper than Utsunomiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Utsunomiya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Utsunomiya 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$8.12 ¥1,319

47.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$19.07 ¥3,099

119.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.05 ¥820

112.87%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.36 ¥384

48.31%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.21 ¥197

19.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.92 ¥149

-4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.94 ¥477

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.69 ¥438

67.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.63 ¥265

-12.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.51 ¥246

21.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$5.30 ¥861

-70.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.32 ¥376

8.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$15.74 ¥2,557

-47.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.88 ¥1,280

6.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$23.06 ¥3,747

-53.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.28 ¥858

-50.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.68 ¥436

-46.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$5.74 ¥933

-65.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$5.88 ¥956

-64.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.30 ¥536

-43.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$3.48 ¥566

-37.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.48 ¥241

-30.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.87 ¥141

22.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.12 ¥670

-0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.97 ¥1,457

13.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.12 ¥345

-20.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.91 ¥473

-13.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.96 ¥318

-73.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$41.68 ¥6,772

-37.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.54 ¥575

-8.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.89 ¥470

-16.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$26.16 ¥4,250

-87.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.16 ¥189

13.79%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$23.2K ¥3.8M

28.28%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$17.3K ¥2.8M

37.02%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$164 ¥26.7K

-50.04%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$26.26 ¥4,267

-12.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$32.99 ¥5,361

-8.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$55.2 ¥8,970

-5.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$13.71 ¥2,227

35.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$13.20 ¥2,145

-62.27%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$510 ¥82.8K

-61.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$15.2K ¥2.5M

-64.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$61.6 ¥10.0K

-42.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$41.69 ¥6,774

-3.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$66.0 ¥10.7K

19.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$92.6 ¥15.1K

-4.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$412 ¥66.9K

129.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$274 ¥44.4K

73.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$695 ¥112.9K

136.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$416 ¥67.6K

190.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.72

563.95%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Utsunomiya: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $412 in Utsunomiya. 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 $19.00 in Utsunomiya. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $380 in Utsunomiya – 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 Utsunomiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Utsunomiya is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,922 in Utsunomiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,281 in Utsunomiya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 60% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Utsunomiya at $1,281. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Utsunomiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Utsunomiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.