Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nago, Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nago, Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,248 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,911 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,574 in Nago, Okinawa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Nago, Okinawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Nago, Okinawa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Nago, Okinawa 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$6.82 ¥1,107

75.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$35.03 ¥5,691

19.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.40 ¥877

99.07%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.13 ¥509

11.82%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.09 ¥178

33.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.82 ¥133

7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.02 ¥329

46.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.18 ¥517

41.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.51 ¥246

-5.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.65 ¥269

11.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.83 ¥785

-67.49%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.26 ¥367

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.00 ¥1,625

-17.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.15 ¥999

37.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$15.34 ¥2,493

-30.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.25 ¥853

-50.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.66 ¥432

-45.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.98 ¥647

-50.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$4.59 ¥746

-54.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.22 ¥523

-42.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.63 ¥427

-17.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.33 ¥216

-22.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.83 ¥134

28.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.07 ¥662

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.71 ¥1,091

51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.96 ¥319

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.37 ¥385

6.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.66 ¥270

-69.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$56.4 ¥9,163

-53.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.57 ¥580

-9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.00 ¥488

-19.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$20.69 ¥3,362

-84.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.24 ¥202

6.45%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$23.6K ¥3.8M

25.67%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$17.0K ¥2.8M

39.20%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$143 ¥23.3K

-42.81%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$27.13 ¥4,409

-15.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$33.39 ¥5,426

-9.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$57.0 ¥9,256

-8.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$13.99 ¥2,273

32.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$12.96 ¥2,105

-61.57%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$285 ¥46.3K

-30.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-59.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$43.24 ¥7,026

-17.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.01 ¥4,877

34.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$59.0 ¥9,586

33.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$92.7 ¥15.1K

-4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$470 ¥76.4K

101.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$334 ¥54.2K

42.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$861 ¥140.0K

90.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$655 ¥106.4K

84.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,839 ¥461.2K

42.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,117 ¥344.0K

205.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.81

530.94%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Nago, Okinawa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $470 in Nago, Okinawa. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Nago, Okinawa. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $306 in Nago, Okinawa – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Playa del Carmen vs Nago, Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,873 in Nago, Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nago, Okinawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 117% less in Nago, Okinawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $285 in Nago, Okinawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nago, Okinawa, where all-in costs run around $1,248, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Nago, Okinawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nago, Okinawa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Nago, Okinawa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.