😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,368 in Oklahoma City, OK versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,523 in Oklahoma City, OK versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,678 in Oklahoma City, OK versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.
🌍Living in Oklahoma City, OK is roughly 81% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Oklahoma City, OK is 72% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.95$19.95
$11.96MX$203
66.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.6$80.6
$47.38MX$804
70.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.79$14.79
$11.75MX$199
25.87%
Cappuccino
$5.21$5.21
$4.12MX$70.0
26.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60$2.60
$1.40MX$23.74
85.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21$2.21
$0.91MX$15.48
142.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.11$6.11
$3.21MX$54.4
90.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.61$8.61
$7.07MX$120
21.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.03$1.03
$1.68MX$28.44
-38.69%
White Bread(500g)
$3.58$3.58
$2.15MX$36.48
66.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.46$3.46
$1.77MX$30.10
95.48%
Eggs
$5.52$5.52
$2.82MX$47.76
95.74%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.94$10.94
$9.20MX$156
18.91%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.00$11.00
$9.23MX$157
19.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.88$17.88
$12.64MX$214
41.46%
Apples(1kg)
$4.66$4.66
$2.95MX$50.1
57.97%
Banana(1kg)
$1.53$1.53
$1.58MX$26.79
-3.16%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.47$4.47
$2.22MX$37.70
101.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.92$3.92
$2.36MX$40.09
66.10%
Potato(1kg)
$3.59$3.59
$1.99MX$33.81
80.40%
Onion(1kg)
$3.11$3.11
$1.98MX$33.58
57.07%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.54$2.54
$1.24MX$21.04
104.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.47$2.47
$1.21MX$20.55
104.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.44$11.44
$4.60MX$78.1
148.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.24$15.24
$10.52MX$178
44.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92$1.92
$1.69MX$28.70
13.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04$3.04
$2.77MX$47.06
9.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.03$3.03
$0.60MX$10.22
405.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$50.2$50.2
$29.70MX$504
69.16%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.69$2.69
$5.24MX$88.8
-48.66%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.21$1.21
$3.65MX$61.9
-66.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.51$29.51
$5.78MX$98.1
410.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.86$0.86
$1.54MX$26.09
-44.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K$35.6K
$22.8KMX$386.8K
56.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K$26.3K
$25.8KMX$437.9K
1.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$192$192
$90.7MX$1,538
111.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$70.6$70.6
$25.19MX$427
180.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$91.0$91.0
$31.75MX$539
186.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.38$33.38
$68.8MX$1,167
-51.48%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.55$30.55
$29.37MX$498
4.02%
Cinema Ticket
$14.91$14.91
$4.86MX$82.5
206.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,575$1,575
$226MX$3,828
597.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.8K$23.8K
$4,194MX$71.1K
467.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.5$52.5
$47.38MX$804
10.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.03$39.03
$43.45MX$737
-10.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106$106
$80.2MX$1,361
32.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$152$152
$91.4MX$1,550
65.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,311$1,311
$1,086MX$18.4K
20.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,058$1,058
$409MX$6,933
158.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,279$2,279
$1,972MX$33.5K
15.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,550$1,550
$1,281MX$21.7K
20.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,437$2,437
$4,046MX$68.6K
-39.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,703$1,703
$6,704MX$113.7K
-74.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,792$3,792
$773MX$13.1K
390.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.04
11.45
-47.25%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Oklahoma City, OK: September 6, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,311 in Oklahoma City, OK and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Oklahoma City, OK pays 390% 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: $81.0 in Oklahoma City, OK vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $278 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
Oklahoma City, OK vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Oklahoma City, OK or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 81% lower than in Oklahoma City, OK. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Oklahoma City, OK or in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 390% higher in Oklahoma City, OK, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Oklahoma City, OK compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,311 in Oklahoma City, OK versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Oklahoma City, OK compared to Playa del Carmen?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 69% less than in Oklahoma City, OK. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Oklahoma City, OK and in Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $1,575 in Oklahoma City, OK versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Oklahoma City, OK or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,368 in Oklahoma City, OK, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oklahoma City, OK. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Oklahoma City, OK or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,305 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Oklahoma City, OK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Oklahoma City, OK vs other spots: cost of living compared