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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $295 in Okara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $438 in Okara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $582 in Okara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 331% more than Okara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Okara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Okara 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.04 PKR 288

1041.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$10.75 PKR 2,989

299.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.11 PKR 1,144

159.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 PKR 805

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 PKR 501

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.22 PKR 339

182.79%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.35 PKR 97.9

328.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.23 PKR 64.2

313.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.73 PKR 204

89.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.40 PKR 111

362.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.21 PKR 336

33.06%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.16 PKR 323

123.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$2.23 PKR 620

270.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$2.36 PKR 656

254.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$3.19 PKR 888

234.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.05 PKR 293

150.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.55 PKR 153

170.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.42 PKR 118

357.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.45 PKR 125

364.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.36 PKR 98.8

416.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.52 PKR 146

334.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.43 PKR 119

146.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.29 PKR 80.8

275.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.92 PKR 257

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.53 PKR 425

171.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.12 PKR 33.14

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$2.85 PKR 793

845.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.69 PKR 192

353.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.53 PKR 146

373.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$1.73 PKR 481

82.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.91 PKR 253

39.56%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

71.37%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

0.34%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$90.2 PKR 25.1K

-7.94%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$3.10 PKR 861

632.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$10.65 PKR 2,961

176.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$12.63 PKR 3,511

303.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$6.05 PKR 1,682

202.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.30 PKR 1,195

14.65%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$14.01 PKR 3,896

1308.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,239 PKR 344.6K

325.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$15.26 PKR 4,243

141.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$20.82 PKR 5,788

91.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$31.73 PKR 8,821

152.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$30.48 PKR 8,474

193.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$28.65 PKR 7,966

3237.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$17.41 PKR 4,839

2640.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$41.87 PKR 11.6K

3831.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$32.08 PKR 8,919

3717.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,004 PKR 279.2K

290.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$515 PKR 143.3K

1153.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$145 PKR 40.3K

360.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

19.88

-42.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Okara: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.65 in Okara. 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 360% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Okara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $69.0 – making Okara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Okara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 331%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $442 in Okara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 264% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $11.00 in Okara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Okara, where all-in costs run around $295, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Okara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Okara. 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.