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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,254 per month in Yamaguchi vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,945 per month in Yamaguchi vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,636 per month in Yamaguchi vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Yamaguchi is about 3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Yamaguchi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Yamaguchi 6% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 ¥662

$11.73 MX$203

-64.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.31 ¥5,487

$41.62 MX$721

-17.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 ¥899

$10.64 MX$184

-47.18%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ¥483

$3.52 MX$61.0

-14.20%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$1.51 MX$26.17

-27.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥124

$0.97 MX$16.87

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥420

$2.95 MX$51.1

-10.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 ¥792

$4.45 MX$77.2

11.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥266

$1.38 MX$23.97

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥265

$1.89 MX$32.78

-12.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 ¥654

$1.64 MX$28.37

149.39%

Eggs

$2.50 ¥399

$2.51 MX$43.42

-0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ¥1,610

$8.34 MX$145

20.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 ¥1,004

$8.34 MX$145

-24.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.02 ¥3,362

$10.73 MX$186

95.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 ¥494

$2.60 MX$45.12

18.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.46 MX$25.25

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ¥218

$1.90 MX$32.94

-28.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.94 ¥950

$2.08 MX$35.98

185.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 ¥433

$1.78 MX$30.77

52.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 ¥512

$2.19 MX$37.87

46.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ¥158

$1.04 MX$18.02

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$1.08 MX$18.66

-29.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 ¥617

$4.08 MX$70.7

-5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 ¥1,024

$10.32 MX$179

-37.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥322

$1.71 MX$29.67

17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$2.58 MX$44.63

-20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥257

$0.51 MX$8.83

215.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ¥8,786

$26.46 MX$459

107.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ¥726

$3.26 MX$56.5

39.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 ¥473

$2.49 MX$43.17

18.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.25 ¥3,079

$3.25 MX$56.3

492.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥190

$1.31 MX$22.65

-9.92%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-22.01%

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

$19.8K ¥3.2M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-15.34%

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

$221 ¥35.4K

$82.9 MX$1,436

166.82%

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

$27.72 ¥4,433

$22.22 MX$385

24.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.15 ¥5,622

$29.34 MX$508

19.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 ¥9,062

$51.6 MX$895

9.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.66 ¥2,185

$18.32 MX$317

-25.44%

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 ¥2,252

$5.07 MX$87.8

177.71%

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

$418 ¥66.8K

$201 MX$3,480

107.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

159.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.43 ¥6,947

$36.92 MX$640

17.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.04 ¥4,645

$39.79 MX$689

-27.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 ¥10.6K

$78.5 MX$1,360

-15.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 ¥9,545

$87.1 MX$1,509

-31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥74.2K

$973 MX$16.9K

-52.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ¥53.3K

$468 MX$8,105

-28.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 ¥138.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-47.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ¥105.4K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-46.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,679 ¥748.4K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

18.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,266 ¥362.4K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-65.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

11.42

-85.38%

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

Last update for Yamaguchi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Yamaguchi 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Yamaguchi versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Yamaguchi 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,880 per month in Yamaguchi 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 Yamaguchi, 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 $1,254 in Yamaguchi 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 Yamaguchi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yamaguchi, where all-in costs run around $1,254, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Yamaguchi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yamaguchi – 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 Yamaguchi. 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.