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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,434 in Yokohama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,171 in Yokohama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,907 in Yokohama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 12% cheaper than Yokohama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Yokohama is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.02 ¥1,105

66.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$42.14 ¥6,633

-0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.62 ¥885

87.01%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$3.21 ¥505

11.84%

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

$1.51 MX$26.13

$1.21 ¥191

24.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$0.80 ¥127

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.05 ¥323

44.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$3.10 ¥488

42.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$1.50 ¥235

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$1.70 ¥267

10.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$4.83 ¥761

-67.70%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.20

$2.30 ¥362

13.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.98 ¥1,571

-16.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.41 ¥1,009

30.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$15.31 ¥2,409

-29.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$6.16 ¥969

-56.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$3.10 ¥488

-51.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$3.94 ¥619

-52.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.94

$6.21 ¥977

-64.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.18

$3.33 ¥524

-44.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$4.25 ¥669

-47.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$1.39 ¥219

-23.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.81 ¥128

34.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.5

$4.25 ¥668

-1.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$7.08 ¥1,114

47.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$1.80 ¥283

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

$2.12 ¥334

23.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$1.51 ¥238

-64.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$55.6 ¥8,747

-52.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.46 ¥544

-10.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.66

$2.67 ¥420

-10.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$22.03 ¥3,467

-85.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$1.20 ¥188

9.17%

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

$29.8K MX$516.4K

$22.8K ¥3.6M

30.58%

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$18.8K ¥3.0M

23.98%

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$144 ¥22.6K

-43.50%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$27.27 ¥4,292

-17.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$34.06 ¥5,361

-11.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$56.2 ¥8,843

-5.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$13.63 ¥2,146

34.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.2

$13.86 ¥2,182

-64.50%

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

$201 MX$3,479

$284 ¥44.7K

-29.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$13.8K ¥2.2M

-62.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$41.73 ¥6,569

-13.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$29.58 ¥4,656

35.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$61.2 ¥9,632

30.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$112 ¥17.6K

-22.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$839 ¥132.0K

16.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

$475 ¥74.7K

-0.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,290 ¥203.1K

27.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$859 ¥135.2K

40.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

$6,141 ¥966.6K

-35.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

$4,365 ¥687.1K

51.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,633 ¥414.5K

-74.31%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $839 in Yokohama. 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 289% higher in Yokohama, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Yokohama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $326 – 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 Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Yokohama is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,151 in Yokohama. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,434 in Yokohama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 112% 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 $1,260, than in Yokohama at $1,434. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yokohama 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, Yokohama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.