Cost of Living Comparison Between Houghton, MI and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Houghton, MI and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,494 in Houghton, MI versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,605 in Houghton, MI versus $2,158 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Houghton, MI versus $3,054 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Houghton, MI is roughly 98% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Houghton, MI is 85% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.77 $12.77

$11.61 MX$201

9.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 $39.89

$42.75 MX$742

-6.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 $10.17

$10.60 MX$184

-4.06%

Cappuccino

$4.08 $4.08

$3.59 MX$62.3

13.65%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.45 MX$25.21

88.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.90 MX$15.58

73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$3.03 MX$52.6

96.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.56 MX$79.2

50.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.45 MX$25.20

-24.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.83 MX$31.72

96.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.61 MX$27.92

178.26%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$2.54 MX$44.05

60.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 $12.41

$8.54 MX$148

45.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 $11.49

$8.47 MX$147

35.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 $15.28

$10.86 MX$189

40.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.73 MX$47.37

84.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.49 MX$25.91

4.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.94 MX$33.73

124.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$2.16 MX$37.57

123.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.85 MX$32.05

49.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.19 MX$38.00

27.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.07 MX$18.62

89.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.08 MX$18.81

101.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.32 $9.32

$4.06 MX$70.5

129.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$10.46 MX$182

44.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.65 MX$28.71

7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.55 MX$44.23

34.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.56 MX$9.65

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.14 MX$54.5

11.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.37 MX$41.17

-32.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 $28.62

$3.24 MX$56.2

783.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.31 MX$22.81

-35.88%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-1.41%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

9.41%

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

$186 $186

$83.1 MX$1,443

123.51%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$22.15 MX$385

141.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$29.37 MX$510

127.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 $42.63

$51.2 MX$889

-16.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 $13.27

$4.89 MX$84.9

171.37%

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

$1,322 $1,322

$199 MX$3,449

565.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

346.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$35.93 MX$624

44.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 $40.51

$39.39 MX$684

2.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$80.3 MX$1,394

8.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$87.6 MX$1,520

25.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$963 MX$16.7K

67.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 $1,340

$482 MX$8,370

177.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,600 $2,600

$1,645 MX$28.6K

58.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$1,192 MX$20.7K

90.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,552 $1,552

$3,957 MX$68.7K

-60.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 $1,586

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-75.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,606 $2,606

$726 MX$12.6K

258.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for Houghton, MI: April 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Houghton, MI and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 259% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40 in Houghton, MI vs $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $253, 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

Houghton, MI vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 98% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Houghton, MI pays 259% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,612 in Houghton, MI versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,494 per month in Houghton, MI versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,494 in Houghton, MI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Houghton, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Houghton, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Houghton, MI and Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.