Cost of Living Comparison Between Oak Harbor, WA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Oak Harbor, WA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,282 in Oak Harbor, WA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,493 in Oak Harbor, WA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,704 in Oak Harbor, WA versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Oak Harbor, WA is roughly 154% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oak Harbor, WA is 139% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 $18.20

$11.71 MX$199

55.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 $71.3

$46.59 MX$791

52.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.64 $18.64

$11.65 MX$198

60.00%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.09 MX$69.5

36.92%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$1.37 MX$23.34

78.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.83 MX$14.16

85.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$3.35 MX$56.9

134.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 $7.30

$6.91 MX$117

5.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.73 MX$29.33

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.26 MX$38.39

96.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$1.77 MX$30.05

271.19%

Eggs

$5.46 $5.46

$2.73 MX$46.41

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.06 $20.06

$9.18 MX$156

118.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.88 $12.88

$8.92 MX$151

44.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.64 $24.64

$12.60 MX$214

95.56%

Apples (1kg)

$8.02 $8.02

$3.02 MX$51.3

165.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.57 MX$26.68

-15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.03 $7.03

$2.13 MX$36.10

230.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$2.26 MX$38.46

200.44%

Potato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.00 MX$34.04

107.50%

Onion (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.06 MX$35.06

126.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.18 MX$20.04

122.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.20 MX$20.45

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.91 $9.91

$4.63 MX$78.7

114.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.69 MX$182

38.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.62 MX$27.50

70.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.88 MX$48.93

38.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.57 MX$9.74

256.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.74 $29.74

$29.83 MX$507

-0.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$5.45 MX$92.5

-44.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.70 MX$62.9

-55.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.04 $31.04

$5.98 MX$102

419.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.55 MX$26.38

-25.16%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

63.47%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-0.59%

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

$383 $383

$89.1 MX$1,514

329.80%

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

$62.6 $62.6

$25.04 MX$425

150.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.5 $98.5

$31.50 MX$535

212.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.50 $33.50

$67.8 MX$1,151

-50.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$14.85 $14.85

$5.05 MX$85.8

194.06%

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

$1,366 $1,366

$225 MX$3,820

507.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

453.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 $58.6

$47.44 MX$806

23.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 $36.81

$44.98 MX$764

-18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$82.0 MX$1,392

55.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$193 $193

$92.1 MX$1,564

109.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 $2,323

$1,069 MX$18.2K

117.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 $1,591

$405 MX$6,884

292.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,227 $3,227

$1,935 MX$32.9K

66.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,295 $2,295

$1,301 MX$22.1K

76.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,082 $4,082

$3,995 MX$67.9K

2.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,027 $4,027

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-39.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,315 $3,315

$749 MX$12.7K

342.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-38.86%

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

Last update for Oak Harbor, WA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,323 in Oak Harbor, WA and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oak Harbor, WA pays 343% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Oak Harbor, WA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $527 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

Oak Harbor, WA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 154% lower than in Oak Harbor, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 343% higher in Oak Harbor, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,323 in Oak Harbor, WA 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 90% higher in Oak Harbor, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $71.0 in Oak Harbor, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,282 in Oak Harbor, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oak Harbor, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Oak Harbor, WA and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 154% less than in Oak Harbor, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.