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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,280 per month in Shizuoka vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,942 per month in Shizuoka vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,605 per month in Shizuoka vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Shizuoka costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 ¥1,103

$11.99 MX$210

-43.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.49 ¥5,605

$41.78 MX$733

-17.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥823

$10.75 MX$189

-52.93%

Cappuccino

$3.49 ¥568

$3.50 MX$61.3

-0.29%

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

$1.06 ¥172

$1.45 MX$25.41

-26.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥125

$0.88 MX$15.52

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥343

$2.95 MX$51.7

-28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥340

$4.51 MX$79.1

-53.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥263

$1.43 MX$25.12

13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.84 MX$32.23

-16.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 ¥690

$1.57 MX$27.51

170.70%

Eggs

$1.58 ¥257

$2.51 MX$44.06

-37.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.63 ¥1,727

$8.28 MX$145

28.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 ¥1,081

$8.43 MX$148

-21.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 ¥2,525

$10.68 MX$187

45.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.44 ¥885

$2.61 MX$45.76

108.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥408

$1.44 MX$25.22

74.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 ¥637

$1.96 MX$34.41

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 ¥672

$2.09 MX$36.74

98.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 ¥471

$1.85 MX$32.47

56.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ¥415

$2.17 MX$38.02

17.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.03 MX$18.09

49.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ¥224

$1.07 MX$18.84

28.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 ¥776

$4.10 MX$72.0

16.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.82 ¥1,434

$10.17 MX$178

-13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥333

$1.68 MX$29.38

22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ¥553

$2.53 MX$44.31

34.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 ¥333

$0.51 MX$8.93

301.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.79 ¥3,704

$26.04 MX$457

-12.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ¥680

$3.23 MX$56.7

29.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ¥328

$2.41 MX$42.19

-16.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.50 ¥3,332

$3.23 MX$56.6

534.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.32 MX$23.17

-9.09%

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

$27.8K ¥4.5M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-6.43%

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

$17.6K ¥2.9M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-25.55%

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

$230 ¥37.4K

$82.0 MX$1,439

180.64%

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

$16.69 ¥2,713

$22.95 MX$403

-27.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.95 ¥6,492

$30.11 MX$528

32.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$52.0 MX$912

86.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 ¥2,291

$18.53 MX$325

-23.91%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 ¥1,894

$4.98 MX$87.3

133.94%

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

$242 ¥39.3K

$197 MX$3,463

22.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

152.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.11 ¥7,332

$35.60 MX$624

26.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 ¥4,744

$40.33 MX$707

-27.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-13.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 ¥15.8K

$88.9 MX$1,560

9.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 ¥62.2K

$947 MX$16.6K

-59.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ¥45.5K

$474 MX$8,314

-40.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 ¥107.1K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-59.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 ¥92.5K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-52.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,382 ¥712.2K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

8.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,093 ¥340.2K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-67.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,126 ¥345.5K

$654 MX$11.5K

225.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-91.24%

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

Last update for Shizuoka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Shizuoka versus $947 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.

Salaries run about 225% higher in Shizuoka, 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 $34.00 in Shizuoka versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $316 in Shizuoka vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – 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

Shizuoka vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shizuoka is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,920 per month in Shizuoka and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,280 in Shizuoka and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% 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 Shizuoka at $1,280. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shizuoka 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, Shizuoka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.