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: $2,597 in Houghton, MI versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,656 in Houghton, MI versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Houghton, MI versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Houghton, MI is roughly 101% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Houghton, MI is 89% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.81 $13.81

$11.71 MX$198

17.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.76 $39.76

$46.59 MX$786

-14.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 $10.70

$11.65 MX$197

-8.15%

Cappuccino

$4.09 $4.09

$4.09 MX$69.1

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

$2.77 $2.77

$1.37 MX$23.20

102.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$0.83 MX$14.07

86.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.35 MX$56.6

80.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 $6.99

$6.91 MX$117

1.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.73 MX$29.15

-39.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.26 MX$38.15

87.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$1.77 MX$29.86

271.75%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$2.73 MX$46.12

49.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 $12.19

$9.18 MX$155

32.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 $10.57

$8.92 MX$151

18.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 $10.88

$12.60 MX$213

-13.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.02 MX$51.0

67.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.57 MX$26.51

-27.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.13 MX$35.88

101.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.26 MX$38.22

107.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.00 MX$33.82

39.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.06 MX$34.85

42.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.18 MX$19.91

85.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.20 MX$20.32

27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 $10.07

$4.63 MX$78.2

117.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$10.69 MX$180

42.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.62 MX$27.33

18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.88 MX$48.63

21.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.57 MX$9.68

252.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$5.45 MX$91.9

-44.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$3.70 MX$62.5

-52.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.73 $29.73

$5.98 MX$101

397.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.55 MX$26.22

-47.74%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

64.26%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-1.80%

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

$273 $273

$89.1 MX$1,504

206.78%

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

$57.8 $57.8

$25.04 MX$423

130.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$31.50 MX$532

124.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.98 $40.98

$67.8 MX$1,144

-39.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$13.78 $13.78

$5.05 MX$85.2

172.87%

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

$1,421 $1,421

$225 MX$3,797

531.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

459.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$47.44 MX$801

10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 $40.32

$44.98 MX$759

-10.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$82.0 MX$1,384

6.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$92.1 MX$1,555

28.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$1,069 MX$18.0K

47.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 $1,317

$405 MX$6,842

224.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,535 $2,535

$1,935 MX$32.7K

31.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,124 $2,124

$1,301 MX$22.0K

63.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 $1,551

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-61.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 $1,535

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-76.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,608 $2,608

$749 MX$12.6K

248.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.45

-46.55%

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

Last update for Houghton, MI: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,576 in Houghton, MI and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 248% 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: $40.00 in Houghton, MI vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $277, 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. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 248% 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: $1,576 in Houghton, MI versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,597 per month in Houghton, MI versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,597 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 101% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.