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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,181 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,829 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,478 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Yamaguchi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Yamaguchi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Yamaguchi 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.87 ¥594

209.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$32.66 ¥5,015

45.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.17 ¥794

127.27%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.34 ¥513

23.35%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.06 ¥164

32.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.67 ¥103

35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.95 ¥606

-18.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.21 ¥339

219.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.65 ¥253

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.96 ¥301

9.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$6.91 ¥1,060

-74.38%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.22 ¥342

27.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$18.30 ¥2,810

-49.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.64 ¥866

63.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$19.30 ¥2,963

-34.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.63 ¥557

-18.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.86 ¥286

-15.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.99 ¥459

-25.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.38 ¥519

-30.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.21 ¥340

-9.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.58 ¥396

-23.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.07 ¥164

15.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.93 ¥143

30.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.14 ¥635

11.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.44 ¥989

63.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.71 ¥263

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.90 ¥291

45.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.47 ¥226

-59.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$61.9 ¥9,500

-52.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$4.12 ¥633

27.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.09 ¥321

74.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$18.38 ¥2,823

-68.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.13 ¥174

36.28%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$22.0K ¥3.4M

3.61%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$18.0K ¥2.8M

43.66%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$190 ¥29.1K

-52.19%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$25.04 ¥3,845

0.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$33.96 ¥5,215

-6.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$48.10 ¥7,385

43.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$11.28 ¥1,732

-56.91%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$130 ¥20.0K

73.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$12.5K ¥1.9M

-66.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$38.96 ¥5,983

21.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$24.04 ¥3,692

80.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$60.9 ¥9,353

31.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$49.32 ¥7,573

85.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$429 ¥65.8K

153.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$262 ¥40.2K

56.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$802 ¥123.2K

145.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$574 ¥88.1K

123.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$4,646 ¥713.4K

-12.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,992 ¥305.9K

236.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.85

518.92%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Yamaguchi: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $429 in Yamaguchi. 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 $33.00 in Yamaguchi. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $324 in Yamaguchi – 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 Yamaguchi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,771 in Yamaguchi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yamaguchi, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,181 in Yamaguchi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 108% less in Yamaguchi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yamaguchi, where all-in costs run around $1,181, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Yamaguchi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yamaguchi – 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 Yamaguchi. 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.