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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,220 in Naha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,896 in Naha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,572 in Naha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than Naha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Naha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Naha 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$5.40 ¥866

117.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$30.45 ¥4,881

36.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$5.26 ¥842

102.28%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.4

$3.19 ¥511

10.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$1.36 ¥218

11.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.92 ¥148

5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$3.56 ¥571

-17.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$4.24 ¥679

4.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.52 ¥243

-9.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.03

$1.59 ¥255

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$4.72 ¥757

-65.25%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$2.27 ¥365

10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$9.94 ¥1,594

-16.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$6.43 ¥1,031

29.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$15.19 ¥2,435

-29.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.47

$5.43 ¥870

-52.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$2.55 ¥408

-42.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$4.13 ¥661

-54.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$5.74 ¥920

-63.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$3.10 ¥498

-42.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$2.67 ¥428

-17.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$1.37 ¥220

-24.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$0.88 ¥141

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$4.24 ¥679

-3.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$6.37 ¥1,021

62.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$1.91 ¥307

-10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.97

$2.15 ¥344

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$1.61 ¥259

-68.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$55.7 ¥8,927

-52.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$3.37 ¥540

-3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.50

$2.93 ¥469

-15.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$20.47 ¥3,281

-84.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.11 ¥179

18.02%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$23.1K ¥3.7M

30.86%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$17.2K ¥2.8M

35.87%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$141 ¥22.6K

-41.34%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$27.44 ¥4,398

-19.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$33.86 ¥5,428

-13.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$56.6 ¥9,077

-8.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$13.61 ¥2,182

34.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$12.39 ¥1,987

-59.08%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$279 ¥44.7K

-28.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$13.4K ¥2.1M

-61.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$43.84 ¥7,027

-15.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$29.57 ¥4,740

34.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$60.8 ¥9,737

29.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$91.8 ¥14.7K

-5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$460 ¥73.8K

111.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,168

$332 ¥53.2K

40.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$1,815 ¥290.9K

-9.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$659 ¥105.6K

85.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$936 ¥150.1K

-29.08%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Naha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $460 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 41% higher in Naha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 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

Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than Naha, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,830 in Naha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $30.00 in Naha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,220 in Naha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Naha, where all-in costs run around $1,220, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Naha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Naha costs $1,220 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Naha. 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.