Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sagamihara and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living costs are similar in Sagamihara and in Playa del Carmen: $1,257 and $1,210 a month, rent and utilities included.

Sagamihara
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,257
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sagamihara and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sagamihara and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,257 per month in Sagamihara vs $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Sagamihara $1,257
  • Playa del Carmen $1,210

A couple spends around $2,021 per month in Sagamihara vs $2,113 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Sagamihara $2,021
  • Playa del Carmen $2,113

A family of three spends $2,785 per month in Sagamihara vs $3,016 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Sagamihara $2,785
  • Playa del Carmen $3,016

Sagamihara costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sagamihara and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sagamihara 7% lower, Playa del Carmen 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sagamihara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.53 ¥1,348
$10.76 MX$199
-20.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.01 ¥5,057
$43.03 MX$795
-25.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.91 ¥775
$11.79 MX$218
-58.35%
Cappuccino
$2.46 ¥389
$3.87 MX$71.4
-36.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 ¥195
$1.37 MX$25.29
-10.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 ¥135
$0.84 MX$15.44
2.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.11 ¥492
$3.10 MX$57.3
0.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 ¥486
$5.07 MX$93.6
-39.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sagamihara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.93 ¥147
$1.44 MX$26.55
-35.42%
White Bread (500g)
$0.62 ¥97.4
$2.23 MX$41.23
-72.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.18 ¥660
$1.47 MX$27.17
184.35%
Eggs
$1.83 ¥290
$2.53 MX$46.71
-27.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.74 ¥2,486
$7.30 MX$135
115.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.96 ¥1,099
$7.86 MX$145
-11.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.26 ¥2,727
$12.79 MX$236
34.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 ¥358
$2.90 MX$53.6
-21.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.60 ¥252
$1.44 MX$26.53
11.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.02 ¥794
$2.55 MX$47.07
96.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.96 ¥1,257
$2.06 MX$38.03
286.41%
Potato (1kg)
$3.90 ¥616
$2.00 MX$36.97
95.00%
Onion (1kg)
$4.74 ¥749
$2.01 MX$37.07
135.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ¥178
$1.19 MX$22.02
-5.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42 ¥67.1
$1.26 MX$23.23
-66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.98 ¥629
$4.40 MX$81.4
-9.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.59 ¥1,515
$9.59 MX$177
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.61 ¥412
$1.59 MX$29.41
64.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 ¥337
$2.81 MX$51.9
-24.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Sagamihara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.32 ¥209
$0.57 MX$10.47
131.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$47.24 ¥7,463
$27.82 MX$514
69.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 ¥488
$4.98 MX$92.1
-37.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.81 ¥444
$3.50 MX$64.6
-19.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.55 ¥2,457
$5.40 MX$99.8
187.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 ¥167
$1.47 MX$27.08
-27.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K ¥3.4M
$21.0K MX$387.8K
1.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.1K ¥2.4M
$23.9K MX$441.8K
-36.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sagamihara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 ¥18.5K
$84.2 MX$1,556
39.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.13 ¥3,654
$23.99 MX$443
-3.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.04 ¥4,904
$29.02 MX$536
6.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sagamihara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.1 ¥9,172
$63.0 MX$1,164
-7.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.14 MX$539
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.33 ¥1,790
$4.94 MX$91.3
129.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sagamihara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$580 ¥91.6K
$204 MX$3,763
184.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.5K ¥2.3M
$3,941 MX$72.8K
268.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sagamihara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.53 ¥7,826
$43.60 MX$806
13.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.82 ¥5,659
$43.12 MX$797
-16.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.4 ¥9,695
$75.8 MX$1,400
-19.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.3 ¥15.4K
$88.6 MX$1,637
9.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sagamihara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$468 ¥73.9K
$1,008 MX$18.6K
-53.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$362 ¥57.1K
$374 MX$6,911
-3.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,074 ¥169.7K
$1,708 MX$31.6K
-37.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$845 ¥133.5K
$1,106 MX$20.4K
-23.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,844 ¥765.3K
$3,944 MX$72.9K
22.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,779 ¥281.0K
$6,169 MX$114.0K
-71.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sagamihara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$754 MX$13.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.02
11.45
-82.36%

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

Last update for Sagamihara: October 10, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sagamihara
$362
Playa del Carmen
$374 3.4% $12
Groceries & Markets
Sagamihara
$321
Playa del Carmen
$258 19.6% $63
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sagamihara
$172
Playa del Carmen
$137 20% $34
Eating Out
Sagamihara
$143
Playa del Carmen
$202 41.8% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Sagamihara
$110
Playa del Carmen
$113 2.9% $3.2
Sport & Entertainment
Sagamihara
$81
Playa del Carmen
$73 9.7% $7.8
Getting Around
Sagamihara
$70
Playa del Carmen
$53 24.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $468 in Sagamihara versus $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $32.00 in Sagamihara versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $321 in Sagamihara vs $258 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Sagamihara
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
22:22 10:22 PM
08:22 8:22 AM
14 h behind Sagamihara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
725,493
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sagamihara Playa del Carmen 12,080 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sagamihara
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Sagamihara vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Sagamihara?
Yes – Sagamihara is pricier by about 4%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,886 per month in Sagamihara and $1,816 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Sagamihara and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,257 in Sagamihara and $1,210 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 4%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 70% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sagamihara or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Sagamihara at $1,257. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sagamihara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sagamihara or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Sagamihara or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sagamihara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Sagamihara vs other spots: cost of living compared

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