Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Naha Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Naha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,261 in Naha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,908 in Naha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,554 in Naha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen and Naha have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.71 ¥933

109.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$727

$30.51 ¥4,980

36.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.07 ¥828

112.03%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.8

$3.21 ¥524

9.03%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$1.37 ¥224

5.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.40

$0.92 ¥150

-4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.57 ¥583

-17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.5

$4.06 ¥663

11.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.92

$1.60 ¥262

-10.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.98

$1.52 ¥249

21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.30

$4.69 ¥766

-66.52%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.72

$2.31 ¥378

8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.05 ¥1,640

-17.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.30 ¥1,028

33.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$15.51 ¥2,530

-31.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.40

$5.20 ¥849

-49.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.03

$2.65 ¥433

-45.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.15

$4.14 ¥675

-52.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.45

$5.82 ¥949

-64.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.22

$3.14 ¥513

-41.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.72

$2.57 ¥419

-15.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.95

$1.39 ¥226

-25.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.69

$0.84 ¥138

27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.13 ¥674

-0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.09 ¥994

67.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.15

$1.83 ¥299

-8.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$2.19 ¥357

15.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.86

$1.60 ¥261

-68.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$55.8 ¥9,099

-53.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.46 ¥565

-6.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.86

$2.96 ¥483

-18.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$20.63 ¥3,366

-84.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.99

$1.11 ¥182

18.92%

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

$29.7K MX$516.8K

$22.8K ¥3.7M

30.50%

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

$23.7K MX$411.8K

$17.3K ¥2.8M

36.62%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$145 ¥23.7K

-43.49%

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

$22.95 MX$399

$27.36 ¥4,465

-16.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$34.58 ¥5,643

-12.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$904

$55.6 ¥9,075

-6.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$322

$13.89 ¥2,266

33.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$12.51 ¥2,041

-60.19%

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

$197 MX$3,436

$278 ¥45.4K

-29.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-60.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$619

$43.73 ¥7,136

-18.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.97 ¥4,891

34.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,370

$61.0 ¥9,954

29.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,548

$90.4 ¥14.8K

-1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$475 ¥77.5K

99.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,249

$323 ¥52.8K

46.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,862 ¥303.8K

-11.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$651 ¥106.2K

86.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$4,109 ¥670.6K

-1.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.6K

$1,979 ¥323.0K

226.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$912 ¥148.8K

-28.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.78

541.57%

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 Naha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $475 in Naha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Naha. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Naha. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $311 in Naha – 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 Naha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,891 in Naha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Naha, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $278 in Naha. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Naha at $1,261. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Naha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $1,261 in Naha. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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