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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $977 in Okayama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,568 in Okayama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,159 in Okayama.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 30% more expensive than in Okayama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Okayama 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$6.19 ¥966

87.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$26.38 ¥4,120

78.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$5.03 ¥785

136.18%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$1.81 ¥282

119.89%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.70 ¥109

104.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.69 ¥108

18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.98 ¥310

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.89 ¥294

259.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.40 ¥219

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.63 ¥97.7

249.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$4.33 ¥677

-60.51%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.52 ¥237

80.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$15.67 ¥2,447

-38.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.34 ¥991

42.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$17.89 ¥2,795

-28.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$5.27 ¥823

-45.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$3.02 ¥472

-50.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$5.08 ¥793

-57.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$4.50 ¥703

-49.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$2.32 ¥362

-14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.96 ¥305

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.21 ¥189

1.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.69 ¥108

73.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$3.77 ¥589

20.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$9.85 ¥1,538

5.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.95 ¥305

-16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.96 ¥307

46.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$1.27 ¥199

-52.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$52.3 ¥8,160

-44.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$3.17 ¥496

70.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$2.55 ¥398

46.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$22.32 ¥3,486

-74.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.06 ¥166

45.28%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$21.8K ¥3.4M

3.29%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$15.7K ¥2.5M

65.62%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$73.5 ¥11.5K

24.33%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$14.36 ¥2,242

75.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$25.82 ¥4,033

20.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$25.65 ¥4,006

161.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$11.63 ¥1,816

-58.21%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$577 ¥90.1K

-61.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$15.0K ¥2.3M

-71.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$51.1 ¥7,973

-7.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$36.56 ¥5,710

21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$63.0 ¥9,837

27.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$101 ¥15.8K

-8.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$343 ¥53.6K

209.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$195 ¥30.4K

100.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$657 ¥102.7K

226.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$445 ¥69.4K

186.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$1,389 ¥216.9K

-45.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.66

589.76%

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 Okayama: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $343 in Okayama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Okayama pays 83% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $26.00 in Okayama. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $321, 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 30% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $977 including rent). Okayama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 83% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $343 in Okayama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $977 in Okayama – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Okayama runs roughly 81% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $977 in Okayama versus $1,266 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 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.