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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $498 in Okara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $718 in Okara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $939 in Okara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 154% more than Okara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Okara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Okara 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.52 PKR 698

360.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$14.23 PKR 3,942

231.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.56 PKR 1,539

113.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 PKR 978

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 PKR 1,508

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.58 PKR 715

54.26%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.39 PKR 108

266.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.26 PKR 72.6

215.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.62 PKR 172

170.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.67 PKR 186

228.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.16 PKR 323

47.41%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.18 PKR 326

132.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.32 PKR 1,751

51.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.53 PKR 702

256.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$4.95 PKR 1,371

158.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.22 PKR 339

136.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.68 PKR 189

120.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.86 PKR 239

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.65 PKR 181

247.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.30 PKR 83.8

560.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.33 PKR 91.0

503.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.50 PKR 138

146.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.37 PKR 102

224.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.05 PKR 291

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 PKR 180

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 PKR 479

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.14 PKR 592

112.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.19 PKR 52.9

215.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$10.14 PKR 2,809

184.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.89 PKR 245

505.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.73 PKR 203

410.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.77 PKR 491

225.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.93 PKR 256

65.59%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

27.23%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

-0.44%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$130 PKR 36.1K

-29.79%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$5.34 PKR 1,480

371.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$16.58 PKR 4,594

88.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$6.17 PKR 1,708

989.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.25 PKR 1,176

14.35%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$14.66 PKR 4,061

1425.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,987 PKR 550.4K

112.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$17.30 PKR 4,791

172.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$26.97 PKR 7,470

64.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$75.6 PKR 20.9K

5.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$31.95 PKR 8,851

190.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$127 PKR 35.2K

735.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

399.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$271 PKR 75.0K

694.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$130 PKR 36.0K

878.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$806 PKR 223.3K

396.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$489 PKR 135.3K

1230.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$142 PKR 39.4K

432.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.28

-19.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Okara: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $127 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 433% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Okara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $94.0 – 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 154%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $746 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 195% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $14.00 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 $498, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.