Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oklahoma City, OK and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,320 in Oklahoma City, OK, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Oklahoma City, OK, United States
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Oklahoma City, OK
🇺🇸 United States
$2,320
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Oklahoma City, OK versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Oklahoma City, OK $2,320
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,423 in Oklahoma City, OK versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Oklahoma City, OK $3,423
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,526 in Oklahoma City, OK versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Oklahoma City, OK $4,526
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Oklahoma City, OK is roughly 93% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oklahoma City, OK is 70% above, Playa del Carmen is 12% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.11 $20.11
$10.92 MX$203
84.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.8 $78.8
$43.37 MX$808
81.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.79 $14.79
$11.78 MX$219
25.55%
Cappuccino
$5.21 $5.21
$3.81 MX$71.0
36.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 $2.66
$1.28 MX$23.89
107.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 $2.41
$0.78 MX$14.58
208.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.90 $5.90
$3.17 MX$59.0
86.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.90 $8.90
$4.93 MX$91.9
80.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.41 MX$26.20
-33.33%
White Bread (500g)
$3.56 $3.56
$2.22 MX$41.30
60.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.62 $3.62
$1.42 MX$26.40
154.93%
Eggs
$5.88 $5.88
$2.52 MX$47.00
133.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.69 $12.69
$7.26 MX$135
74.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.01 $11.01
$7.70 MX$143
42.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.13 $19.13
$12.69 MX$236
50.75%
Apples (1kg)
$4.82 $4.82
$2.78 MX$51.9
73.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 $1.79
$1.37 MX$25.49
30.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.56 $4.56
$2.55 MX$47.52
78.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.91 $3.91
$2.12 MX$39.55
84.43%
Potato (1kg)
$3.87 $3.87
$1.94 MX$36.11
99.48%
Onion (1kg)
$2.89 $2.89
$1.89 MX$35.13
52.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.69 $2.69
$1.15 MX$21.36
133.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.56 $2.56
$1.18 MX$21.96
116.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.08 $10.08
$4.30 MX$80.0
134.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.81 $13.81
$9.95 MX$185
38.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 $1.92
$1.58 MX$29.50
21.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 $3.22
$2.67 MX$49.76
20.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.07 $3.07
$0.55 MX$10.31
458.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.1 $50.1
$26.62 MX$496
88.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.72 $2.72
$4.97 MX$92.6
-45.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.27 $1.27
$3.33 MX$62.1
-61.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.96 $29.96
$5.36 MX$99.8
458.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.91 $0.91
$1.44 MX$26.90
-36.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K $27.8K
$20.7K MX$385.0K
34.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K $26.5K
$23.5K MX$437.2K
12.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$193 $193
$84.8 MX$1,580
127.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$83.4 $83.4
$23.41 MX$436
256.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$93.9 $93.9
$28.66 MX$534
227.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.86 $28.86
$57.1 MX$1,063
-49.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.87 $29.87
$28.91 MX$539
3.32%
Cinema Ticket
$14.77 $14.77
$5.14 MX$95.7
187.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,510 $1,510
$207 MX$3,848
631.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.8K $23.8K
$3,927 MX$73.2K
504.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 $53.8
$43.35 MX$808
24.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.01 $42.01
$41.44 MX$772
1.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 $106
$74.2 MX$1,382
43.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137 $137
$89.3 MX$1,663
53.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,263 $1,263
$980 MX$18.2K
28.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$924 $924
$381 MX$7,095
142.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,087 $2,087
$1,708 MX$31.8K
22.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,426 $1,426
$1,075 MX$20.0K
32.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,568 $2,568
$3,943 MX$73.5K
-34.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,690 $1,690
$6,158 MX$114.7K
-72.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oklahoma City, OK
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,869 $3,869
$735 MX$13.7K
426.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
11.45
-43.67%

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

Last update for Oklahoma City, OK: October 24, 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
Oklahoma City, OK
$924
Playa del Carmen
$381 58.8% $543
Groceries & Markets
Oklahoma City, OK
$409
Playa del Carmen
$255 37.7% $154
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oklahoma City, OK
$370
Playa del Carmen
$137 63% $233
Eating Out
Oklahoma City, OK
$335
Playa del Carmen
$202 39.7% $133
Clothing & Footwear
Oklahoma City, OK
$153
Playa del Carmen
$112 26.9% $41
Getting Around
Oklahoma City, OK
$71
Playa del Carmen
$50 29.4% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Oklahoma City, OK
$58
Playa del Carmen
$67 15.3% $8.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,263 in Oklahoma City, OK and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oklahoma City, OK pays about 5.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $79 in Oklahoma City, OK vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $255 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Oklahoma City, OK
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
01:16 1:16 AM
01:16 1:16 AM
Same time as Oklahoma City, OK
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
579,999
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Oklahoma City, OK Playa del Carmen 1,940 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Oklahoma City, OK
  • 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
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 48% 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 in Oklahoma City, OK is about 5.3 times higher, 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: $1,263 in Oklahoma City, OK versus $980 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 47% less than in Oklahoma City, OK. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Oklahoma City, OK and in Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $1,510 in Oklahoma City, OK versus $207 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 $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,320 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 at $1,204 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 48% 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

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