Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toyama and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living costs are similar in Toyama and in Playa del Carmen: $1,175 and $1,204 a month, rent and utilities included.

Toyama
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,175
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toyama 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 Toyama and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,175 per month in Toyama vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Toyama $1,175
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,880 per month in Toyama vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Toyama $1,880
  • Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $2,584 per month in Toyama vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Toyama $2,584
  • Playa del Carmen $3,000

Toyama is about 2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Toyama and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Toyama 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.94 ¥622
$10.86 MX$201
-63.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.27 ¥6,362
$44.21 MX$817
-8.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.98 ¥787
$11.76 MX$217
-57.65%
Cappuccino
$3.33 ¥526
$3.68 MX$68.0
-9.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 ¥166
$1.34 MX$24.79
-21.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79 ¥125
$0.82 MX$15.24
-3.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.45 ¥387
$3.06 MX$56.6
-19.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 ¥489
$4.94 MX$91.2
-37.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 ¥178
$1.47 MX$27.17
-23.13%
White Bread (500g)
$0.77 ¥122
$2.22 MX$40.95
-65.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.55 ¥561
$1.48 MX$27.32
139.86%
Eggs
$2.07 ¥327
$2.49 MX$45.99
-16.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.50 ¥1,659
$7.52 MX$139
39.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.13 ¥968
$7.96 MX$147
-22.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.44 ¥2,281
$12.57 MX$232
14.88%
Apples (1kg)
$5.73 ¥906
$2.78 MX$51.3
106.12%
Banana (1kg)
$2.73 ¥431
$1.43 MX$26.37
90.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.85 ¥450
$2.62 MX$48.37
8.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.27 ¥675
$2.14 MX$39.49
99.53%
Potato (1kg)
$2.55 ¥402
$2.02 MX$37.38
26.24%
Onion (1kg)
$2.65 ¥419
$1.99 MX$36.74
33.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 ¥205
$1.14 MX$21.01
14.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 ¥102
$1.20 MX$22.18
-45.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.77 ¥595
$4.26 MX$78.7
-11.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.44 ¥1,017
$10.02 MX$185
-35.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ¥272
$1.54 MX$28.41
11.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 ¥316
$2.66 MX$49.17
-24.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Toyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.51 ¥239
$0.53 MX$9.73
184.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.9 ¥8,509
$27.51 MX$508
95.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 ¥510
$4.90 MX$90.6
-34.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.64 ¥418
$3.43 MX$63.5
-23.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.28 ¥3,203
$5.38 MX$99.4
276.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥175
$1.45 MX$26.76
-23.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ¥3.3M
$21.2K MX$391.0K
-0.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.0K ¥2.8M
$23.0K MX$425.3K
-21.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$130 ¥20.6K
$85.4 MX$1,577
52.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.54 ¥3,878
$23.46 MX$434
4.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.59 ¥4,991
$28.43 MX$525
11.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.1 ¥8,381
$62.2 MX$1,149
-14.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.68 MX$530
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.31 ¥1,786
$5.10 MX$94.3
121.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$626 ¥98.9K
$201 MX$3,715
211.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.6K ¥2.3M
$3,947 MX$72.9K
270.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.8 ¥9,928
$44.39 MX$820
41.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.20 ¥5,877
$41.35 MX$764
-10.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$62.0 ¥9,794
$72.7 MX$1,344
-14.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 ¥16.0K
$89.6 MX$1,656
12.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$234 ¥37.0K
$979 MX$18.1K
-76.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$330 ¥52.1K
$373 MX$6,887
-11.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,091 ¥172.3K
$1,681 MX$31.1K
-35.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$730 ¥115.4K
$1,095 MX$20.2K
-33.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,156 ¥656.5K
$3,949 MX$73.0K
5.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,755 ¥277.3K
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-71.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toyama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$738 MX$13.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.64
11.45
-76.94%

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

Last update for Toyama: October 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toyama
$330
Playa del Carmen
$373 13% $43
Groceries & Markets
Toyama
$276
Playa del Carmen
$258 6.4% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toyama
$186
Playa del Carmen
$137 26.4% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Toyama
$118
Playa del Carmen
$112 5.8% $6.8
Eating Out
Toyama
$112
Playa del Carmen
$200 78.4% $88
Getting Around
Toyama
$76
Playa del Carmen
$52 32.3% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Toyama
$76
Playa del Carmen
$72 4.3% $3.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Toyama versus $979 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 $40.00 in Toyama versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Toyama vs $258 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Toyama
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
12:00 12:00 PM
22:00 10:00 PM
14 h behind Toyama
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
421,259
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 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 21, 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
  • Toyama Playa del Carmen 12,130 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Toyama
  • 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
Toyama vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Toyama?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 2%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,762 per month in Toyama and $1,806 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 Toyama, 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 Toyama and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,175 in Toyama and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 2%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 96% less in Toyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Toyama or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Toyama, where all-in costs run around $1,175, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Toyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Toyama or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Toyama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Toyama 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 Toyama. 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.

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