Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Okazaki and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $1,313 in Okazaki, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Okazaki
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,313
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,313 per month in Okazaki vs $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Okazaki $1,313
  • Playa del Carmen $1,210

A couple spends around $2,013 per month in Okazaki vs $2,113 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Okazaki $2,013
  • Playa del Carmen $2,113

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Okazaki vs $3,016 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Okazaki $2,713
  • Playa del Carmen $3,016

Okazaki costs about 8% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Okazaki and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Okazaki 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Okazaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.60 ¥1,200
$10.76 MX$199
-29.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.06 ¥4,907
$43.03 MX$795
-27.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.97 ¥785
$11.79 MX$218
-57.85%
Cappuccino
$2.39 ¥378
$3.87 MX$71.4
-38.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19 ¥189
$1.37 MX$25.29
-13.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 ¥98.0
$0.84 MX$15.44
-26.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.10 ¥332
$3.10 MX$57.3
-32.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 ¥354
$5.07 MX$93.6
-55.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Okazaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 ¥233
$1.44 MX$26.55
2.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.31 ¥207
$2.23 MX$41.23
-41.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.53 ¥874
$1.47 MX$27.17
276.19%
Eggs
$2.04 ¥322
$2.53 MX$46.71
-19.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.85 ¥2,030
$7.30 MX$135
76.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.61 ¥1,518
$7.86 MX$145
22.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$32.52 ¥5,138
$12.79 MX$236
154.26%
Apples (1kg)
$3.70 ¥585
$2.90 MX$53.6
27.59%
Banana (1kg)
$2.34 ¥369
$1.44 MX$26.53
62.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.44 ¥1,017
$2.55 MX$47.07
152.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 ¥646
$2.06 MX$38.03
98.54%
Potato (1kg)
$3.84 ¥607
$2.00 MX$36.97
92.00%
Onion (1kg)
$3.45 ¥544
$2.01 MX$37.07
71.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 ¥205
$1.19 MX$22.02
9.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 ¥160
$1.26 MX$23.23
-19.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.45 ¥545
$4.40 MX$81.4
-21.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.99 ¥1,262
$9.59 MX$177
-16.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 ¥321
$1.59 MX$29.41
27.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 ¥239
$2.81 MX$51.9
-46.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Okazaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.30 ¥205
$0.57 MX$10.47
128.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.6 ¥8,619
$27.82 MX$514
96.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 ¥495
$4.98 MX$92.1
-37.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.06 ¥484
$3.50 MX$64.6
-12.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.40 ¥4,171
$5.40 MX$99.8
388.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 ¥172
$1.47 MX$27.08
-25.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.3K ¥3.2M
$21.0K MX$387.8K
-3.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.6K ¥2.6M
$23.9K MX$441.8K
-30.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okazaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$142 ¥22.5K
$84.2 MX$1,556
68.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.62 ¥3,731
$23.99 MX$443
-1.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.51 ¥6,875
$29.02 MX$536
49.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Okazaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 ¥8,211
$63.0 MX$1,164
-17.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.14 MX$539
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.70 ¥1,532
$4.94 MX$91.3
96.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Okazaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$319 ¥50.3K
$204 MX$3,763
56.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,212 ¥981.4K
$3,941 MX$72.8K
57.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Okazaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.66 ¥7,845
$43.60 MX$806
13.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.32 ¥4,000
$43.12 MX$797
-41.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$45.94 ¥7,258
$75.8 MX$1,400
-39.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.2 ¥10.5K
$88.6 MX$1,637
-25.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Okazaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$531 ¥83.9K
$1,008 MX$18.6K
-47.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$357 ¥56.4K
$374 MX$6,911
-4.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,239 ¥195.7K
$1,708 MX$31.6K
-27.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 ¥104.7K
$1,106 MX$20.4K
-40.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,681 ¥739.6K
$3,944 MX$72.9K
18.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,743 ¥275.4K
$6,169 MX$114.0K
-71.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Okazaki
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$754 MX$13.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.28
11.45
-80.09%

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

Last update for Okazaki: October 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Okazaki
$386
Playa del Carmen
$258 33% $127
Accommodation & Living
Okazaki
$357
Playa del Carmen
$374 4.7% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Okazaki
$209
Playa del Carmen
$137 34.5% $72
Eating Out
Okazaki
$127
Playa del Carmen
$202 59.7% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Okazaki
$84
Playa del Carmen
$113 34.2% $29
Getting Around
Okazaki
$78
Playa del Carmen
$53 32.8% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Okazaki
$71
Playa del Carmen
$73 2.1% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $531 in Okazaki versus $1,008 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 $31.00 in Okazaki versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $386 in Okazaki vs $258 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Okazaki
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
22:21 10:21 PM
08:21 8:21 AM
14 h behind Okazaki
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
382,846
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 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 19, 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
  • Okazaki Playa del Carmen 12,270 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Okazaki
  • 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
Okazaki vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Okazaki?
Yes – Okazaki is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,969 per month in Okazaki and $1,816 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Okazaki or in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Okazaki and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Okazaki and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,313 in Okazaki and $1,210 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 8%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Okazaki or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Okazaki at $1,313. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Okazaki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Okazaki 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 safer, Okazaki 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Okazaki makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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