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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,041 in Okayama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,684 in Okayama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,327 in Okayama.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 21% more expensive than in Okayama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Okayama 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$6.73 ¥1,060

74.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$27.94 ¥4,403

49.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.24 ¥983

68.43%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.95 ¥308

84.10%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.73 ¥115

106.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.72 ¥113

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.06 ¥325

43.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.03 ¥319

117.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.49 ¥235

-6.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.67 ¥105

180.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$4.95 ¥781

-68.48%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.69 ¥266

54.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$16.43 ¥2,589

-49.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.73 ¥1,061

24.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$15.40 ¥2,427

-29.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$5.59 ¥880

-51.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.91 ¥458

-48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$4.92 ¥776

-61.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.98 ¥785

-56.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.47 ¥389

-24.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.06 ¥324

8.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.34 ¥211

-20.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.78 ¥123

39.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.53 ¥556

18.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.04 ¥1,425

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.03 ¥320

-18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.13 ¥336

22.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.61 ¥254

-66.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$54.9 ¥8,644

-52.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.46 ¥545

-10.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.65 ¥417

-9.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$23.58 ¥3,716

-86.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.10 ¥173

19.09%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$22.8K ¥3.6M

30.53%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$17.2K ¥2.7M

35.55%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$77.7 ¥12.2K

4.58%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$15.00 ¥2,364

50.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$27.33 ¥4,306

9.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$55.9 ¥8,804

-5.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$13.93 ¥2,195

32.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$12.42 ¥1,957

-60.39%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$476 ¥75.0K

-57.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$11.2K ¥1.8M

-53.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$45.84 ¥7,223

-21.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$32.41 ¥5,107

23.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$56.4 ¥8,881

41.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$90.5 ¥14.3K

-4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$359 ¥56.6K

172.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$208 ¥32.8K

125.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$697 ¥109.9K

136.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$466 ¥73.3K

158.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,323 ¥208.4K

-48.85%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Okayama: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $359 in Okayama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okayama pays 95% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $28.00 in Okayama. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $326, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Okayama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Okayama differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $1,041 including rent). Okayama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Okayama. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $359 in Okayama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,041 in Okayama – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Okayama runs roughly 110% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Okayama versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Okayama but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Okayama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Okayama are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Okayama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.