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: $2,541 in Houghton, MI versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,613 in Houghton, MI versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,686 in Houghton, MI versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Houghton, MI is roughly 102% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Houghton, MI is 90% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 $13.16

$11.99 MX$209

9.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.31 $39.31

$41.78 MX$728

-5.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.01 $10.01

$10.75 MX$187

-6.88%

Cappuccino

$4.09 $4.09

$3.50 MX$60.9

16.86%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$1.45 MX$25.22

84.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.88 MX$15.41

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.95 MX$51.3

101.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$4.51 MX$78.6

54.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.43 MX$24.94

-24.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.84 MX$31.99

90.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.57 MX$27.31

173.25%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$2.51 MX$43.74

63.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 $12.48

$8.28 MX$144

50.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$8.43 MX$147

34.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 $15.62

$10.68 MX$186

46.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.61 MX$45.43

89.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.44 MX$25.04

9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.96 MX$34.16

122.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$2.09 MX$36.47

122.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.85 MX$32.24

55.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.17 MX$37.74

32.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.03 MX$17.96

96.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.07 MX$18.70

102.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.63 $9.63

$4.10 MX$71.4

134.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$10.17 MX$177

49.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.68 MX$29.17

6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.53 MX$43.98

34.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.51 MX$8.87

294.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.23 MX$56.3

7.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.41 MX$41.88

-34.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.10 $29.10

$3.23 MX$56.2

800.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.32 MX$23.00

-36.36%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-1.72%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

6.24%

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

$188 $188

$82.0 MX$1,428

129.51%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$22.95 MX$400

127.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$30.11 MX$524

129.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 $43.21

$52.0 MX$905

-16.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$13.77 $13.77

$4.98 MX$86.6

176.51%

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

$1,304 $1,304

$197 MX$3,438

560.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

344.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$35.60 MX$620

44.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 $40.33

$40.33 MX$702

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$78.8 MX$1,371

8.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$88.9 MX$1,549

27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 $1,585

$947 MX$16.5K

67.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,360 $1,360

$474 MX$8,254

186.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 $2,594

$1,644 MX$28.6K

57.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 $2,211

$1,211 MX$21.1K

82.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,591 $1,591

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-60.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,540 $1,540

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-76.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,610 $2,610

$654 MX$11.4K

299.09%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,585 in Houghton, MI and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 299% 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: $39.00 in Houghton, MI vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $390 vs $249, 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 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 299% higher in Houghton, MI, 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: $1,585 in Houghton, MI versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,541 per month in Houghton, MI versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,541 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 102% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.