Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,340 in Yokohama, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Yokohama, Japan
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Yokohama
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,340
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,340 per month in Yokohama vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Yokohama $1,340
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Yokohama vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Yokohama $2,054
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $2,768 per month in Yokohama vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Yokohama $2,768
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Yokohama costs about 11% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Yokohama and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Yokohama 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yokohama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.45 ¥1,019
$10.92 MX$204
-40.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.72 ¥6,429
$43.37 MX$808
-6.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.19 ¥820
$11.78 MX$220
-55.94%
Cappuccino
$3.41 ¥538
$3.81 MX$71.0
-10.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 ¥167
$1.28 MX$23.90
-17.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ¥116
$0.78 MX$14.59
-5.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.60 ¥410
$3.17 MX$59.0
-17.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 ¥489
$4.93 MX$92.0
-37.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yokohama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 ¥231
$1.41 MX$26.22
3.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.75 ¥277
$2.22 MX$41.33
-21.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.59 ¥567
$1.42 MX$26.42
152.82%
Eggs
$2.03 ¥320
$2.52 MX$47.03
-19.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.26 ¥1,620
$7.26 MX$135
41.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.14 ¥970
$7.70 MX$143
-20.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.66 ¥2,314
$12.69 MX$237
15.52%
Apples (1kg)
$5.54 ¥875
$2.78 MX$51.9
99.28%
Banana (1kg)
$2.76 ¥436
$1.37 MX$25.50
101.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.96 ¥467
$2.55 MX$47.55
16.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.10 ¥647
$2.12 MX$39.58
93.40%
Potato (1kg)
$2.52 ¥398
$1.94 MX$36.13
29.90%
Onion (1kg)
$2.58 ¥407
$1.89 MX$35.16
36.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 ¥205
$1.15 MX$21.37
13.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ¥121
$1.18 MX$21.98
-34.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 ¥616
$4.30 MX$80.1
-9.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.30 ¥995
$9.95 MX$185
-36.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ¥288
$1.58 MX$29.52
15.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 ¥331
$2.67 MX$49.79
-21.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Yokohama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 ¥217
$0.55 MX$10.31
149.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$62.4 ¥9,856
$26.62 MX$496
134.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ¥491
$4.97 MX$92.6
-37.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.66 ¥420
$3.33 MX$62.1
-20.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.61 ¥3,254
$5.36 MX$99.8
284.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ¥169
$1.44 MX$26.92
-25.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ¥3.4M
$20.7K MX$385.2K
4.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.1K ¥2.5M
$23.5K MX$437.4K
-31.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yokohama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$130 ¥20.6K
$84.8 MX$1,581
53.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.74 ¥3,906
$23.41 MX$436
5.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.65 ¥5,155
$28.66 MX$534
13.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yokohama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.93 ¥7,725
$57.1 MX$1,063
-14.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.78 ¥1,860
$28.91 MX$539
-59.25%
Cinema Ticket
$13.09 ¥2,067
$5.14 MX$95.8
154.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yokohama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$805 ¥127.1K
$207 MX$3,851
289.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.0K ¥2.4M
$3,927 MX$73.2K
280.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yokohama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ¥9,733
$43.35 MX$808
42.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.72 ¥5,956
$41.44 MX$772
-8.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$62.6 ¥9,887
$74.2 MX$1,383
-15.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 ¥16.1K
$89.3 MX$1,664
14.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yokohama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,097 ¥173.1K
$980 MX$18.3K
11.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$450 ¥71.0K
$381 MX$7,099
18.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,796 ¥283.6K
$1,708 MX$31.8K
5.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$805 ¥127.0K
$1,075 MX$20.0K
-25.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,778 ¥912.2K
$3,943 MX$73.5K
46.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,066 ¥641.9K
$6,158 MX$114.8K
-33.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yokohama
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,669 ¥421.4K
$735 MX$13.7K
263.42%
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 Yokohama: October 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Yokohama
$450
Playa del Carmen
$381 15.3% $69
Groceries & Markets
Yokohama
$290
Playa del Carmen
$255 12.1% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yokohama
$188
Playa del Carmen
$137 27.1% $51
Eating Out
Yokohama
$134
Playa del Carmen
$202 50.5% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Yokohama
$119
Playa del Carmen
$112 5.9% $7
Getting Around
Yokohama
$84
Playa del Carmen
$50 40.2% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Yokohama
$75
Playa del Carmen
$67 10.4% $7.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,097 in Yokohama versus $980 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 in Yokohama are about 3.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41 in Yokohama versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $290 in Yokohama vs $255 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Yokohama
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
01:54 1:54 AM
11:54 11:54 AM
14 h behind Yokohama
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,777,491
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Yokohama Playa del Carmen 12,070 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Yokohama
  • 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
Yokohama vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Yokohama?
Yes – Yokohama is pricier by about 11%, 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 $2,010 per month in Yokohama 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,097 in Yokohama.
What are total monthly expenses in Yokohama and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,340 in Yokohama and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a gap of about 11%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 57% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 enough for either Yokohama or Playa del Carmen?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,340 in Yokohama and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Yokohama 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 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, Yokohama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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