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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,301 in Wakayama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,049 in Wakayama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,797 in Wakayama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than Wakayama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Wakayama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Wakayama 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.57 ¥1,026

76.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$32.06 ¥5,003

46.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.25 ¥819

126.29%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.54 ¥396

56.69%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.33 ¥207

7.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.91 ¥142

-9.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.27 ¥510

-2.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.91 ¥297

255.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.61 ¥252

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.57 ¥245

40.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$4.24 ¥661

-59.67%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.21 ¥344

23.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$16.08 ¥2,509

-40.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$7.15 ¥1,115

26.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$17.47 ¥2,725

-26.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$8.43 ¥1,315

-65.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.02 ¥471

-50.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$5.23 ¥816

-58.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$7.96 ¥1,242

-71.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$4.03 ¥629

-50.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$4.72 ¥736

-57.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.15 ¥179

6.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.96 ¥150

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.04 ¥630

12.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$9.45 ¥1,475

9.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.68 ¥418

-39.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.23 ¥348

29.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.66 ¥260

-63.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$53.4 ¥8,324

-46.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.31 ¥516

62.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.95 ¥461

26.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$16.12 ¥2,515

-64.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.12 ¥175

37.50%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$22.4K ¥3.5M

0.76%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$15.3K ¥2.4M

70.28%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$117 ¥18.3K

-21.89%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$23.75 ¥3,706

6.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$32.35 ¥5,048

-3.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$49.48 ¥7,720

35.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$11.54 ¥1,800

-57.89%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$597 ¥93.1K

-62.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$14.9K ¥2.3M

-71.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$52.3 ¥8,153

-9.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$36.53 ¥5,699

21.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$63.4 ¥9,888

26.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$101 ¥15.8K

-8.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$534 ¥83.3K

99.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$312 ¥48.7K

25.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$894 ¥139.4K

140.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$726 ¥113.2K

75.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$3,717 ¥579.9K

7.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,847 ¥288.2K

252.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,816 ¥595.5K

-80.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.66

589.76%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Wakayama: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $534 in Wakayama. 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 403% higher in Wakayama, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Wakayama. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $389 in Wakayama – 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 Wakayama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Wakayama is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,952 in Wakayama. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,301 in Wakayama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% 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 $1,266, than in Wakayama at $1,301. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wakayama 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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wakayama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.