Cost of Living Comparison Between Suginami-ku and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Suginami-ku and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,196 per month in Suginami-ku vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,894 per month in Suginami-ku vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,592 per month in Suginami-ku vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Suginami-ku is about 8% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Suginami-ku and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Suginami-ku 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 ¥1,120

$11.73 MX$203

-40.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.21 ¥5,473

$41.62 MX$721

-17.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥810

$10.64 MX$184

-52.44%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ¥506

$3.52 MX$61.0

-10.23%

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

$1.14 ¥182

$1.51 MX$26.17

-24.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥119

$0.97 MX$16.87

-23.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥326

$2.95 MX$51.1

-30.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥335

$4.45 MX$77.2

-53.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ¥242

$1.38 MX$23.97

9.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥281

$1.89 MX$32.78

-6.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.84 ¥774

$1.64 MX$28.37

195.12%

Eggs

$1.52 ¥243

$2.51 MX$43.42

-39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ¥1,628

$8.34 MX$145

22.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ¥1,004

$8.34 MX$145

-24.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 ¥2,502

$10.73 MX$186

45.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 ¥952

$2.60 MX$45.12

128.85%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 ¥493

$1.46 MX$25.25

110.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 ¥655

$1.90 MX$32.94

115.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 ¥742

$2.08 MX$35.98

123.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 ¥533

$1.78 MX$30.77

87.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ¥570

$2.19 MX$37.87

63.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥215

$1.04 MX$18.02

28.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥139

$1.08 MX$18.66

-19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥680

$4.08 MX$70.7

4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.29 ¥1,486

$10.32 MX$179

-9.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥294

$1.71 MX$29.67

7.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$2.58 MX$44.63

-20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 ¥254

$0.51 MX$8.83

211.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.1 ¥8,808

$26.46 MX$459

108.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ¥570

$3.26 MX$56.5

9.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 ¥484

$2.49 MX$43.17

21.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.93 ¥3,507

$3.25 MX$56.3

574.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$1.31 MX$22.65

-10.69%

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

$22.9K ¥3.7M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-24.25%

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

$18.3K ¥2.9M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-21.98%

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

$82.5 ¥13.2K

$82.9 MX$1,436

-0.42%

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

$27.76 ¥4,440

$22.22 MX$385

24.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.70 ¥5,391

$29.34 MX$508

14.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ¥8,994

$51.6 MX$895

8.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.00 ¥2,240

$18.32 MX$317

-23.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.32 ¥1,811

$5.07 MX$87.8

123.27%

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

$287 ¥45.9K

$201 MX$3,480

42.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

168.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.99 ¥3,357

$36.92 MX$640

-43.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.03 ¥4,643

$39.79 MX$689

-27.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 ¥9,737

$78.5 MX$1,360

-22.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 ¥15.7K

$87.1 MX$1,509

13.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 ¥74.1K

$973 MX$16.9K

-52.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ¥51.7K

$468 MX$8,105

-30.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 ¥140.6K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-46.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥105.5K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-45.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,161 ¥665.5K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

5.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,507 ¥401.0K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-61.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,769 ¥442.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

317.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-82.49%

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

Last update for Suginami-ku: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Suginami-ku versus $973 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 317% higher in Suginami-ku, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Suginami-ku versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Suginami-ku 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,794 per month in Suginami-ku and $1,945 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 Suginami-ku, 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 $1,196 in Suginami-ku and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suginami-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,196, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Suginami-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suginami-ku – 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 Suginami-ku. 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.