Cost of Living Comparison Between Ada, OK and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ada, OK and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,732 in Ada, OK versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ada, OK versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,438 in Ada, OK versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ada, OK is roughly 34% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ada, OK is 26% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.77 $18.77

$11.71 MX$198

60.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.84 $49.84

$46.59 MX$787

6.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 $11.78

$11.65 MX$197

1.12%

Cappuccino

$3.96 $3.96

$4.09 MX$69.2

-3.18%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$1.37 MX$23.23

70.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.83 MX$14.09

144.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.35 MX$56.7

-9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 $4.41

$6.91 MX$117

-36.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.73 MX$29.19

-43.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.26 MX$38.20

44.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.77 MX$29.90

92.66%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$2.73 MX$46.18

71.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$9.18 MX$155

-29.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.10 $11.10

$8.92 MX$151

24.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.82 $18.82

$12.60 MX$213

49.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$3.02 MX$51.1

59.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.57 MX$26.54

3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.13 MX$35.92

62.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.26 MX$38.27

88.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$2.00 MX$33.87

-32.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.06 MX$34.89

-22.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.18 MX$19.94

40.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.20 MX$20.35

-19.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 $5.91

$4.63 MX$78.3

27.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$10.69 MX$181

40.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.62 MX$27.37

109.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.88 MX$48.69

62.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$5.45 MX$92.1

-45.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.70 MX$62.6

-51.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.25 $24.25

$5.98 MX$101

305.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.55 MX$26.25

-52.26%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$22.3K MX$377.3K

60.16%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$25.9K MX$438.5K

8.75%

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

$199 $199

$89.1 MX$1,506

123.71%

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

$66.1 $66.1

$25.04 MX$423

164.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 $71.0

$31.50 MX$532

125.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.80 $34.80

$67.8 MX$1,145

-48.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 $11.53

$5.05 MX$85.3

128.32%

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

$2,100 $2,100

$225 MX$3,802

833.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

485.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.05 $45.05

$47.44 MX$802

-5.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.99 $48.99

$44.98 MX$760

8.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 $92.9

$82.0 MX$1,386

13.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$92.1 MX$1,556

12.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 $658

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-38.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 $544

$405 MX$6,850

34.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 $1,019

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-47.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 $974

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-25.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,491 $1,491

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-62.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,507 $1,507

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-77.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

11.45

-44.63%

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

Last update for Ada, OK: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $658 in Ada, OK and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50.0 in Ada, OK vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $277 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Ada, OK vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ada, OK and Playa del Carmen differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,732 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,598 in Ada, OK and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $658 in Ada, OK versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Ada, OK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,732 per month in Ada, OK versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,732 in Ada, OK, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ada, OK. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Ada, OK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.