Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima, OH and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima, OH and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,506 in Lima, OH versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,893 in Lima, OH versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,281 in Lima, OH versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lima, OH is roughly 99% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lima, OH is 88% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$11.95 MX$208

66.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$41.94 MX$730

88.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 $11.20

$10.42 MX$181

7.49%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$3.51 MX$61.2

42.45%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$1.52 MX$26.39

61.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.91 MX$15.84

148.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.68 $5.68

$3.04 MX$52.9

86.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.37 MX$76.1

64.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.42 MX$24.73

-40.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.83 MX$31.87

62.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$1.63 MX$28.45

158.28%

Eggs

$3.26 $3.26

$2.54 MX$44.20

28.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$8.57 MX$149

55.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.13 $14.13

$8.49 MX$148

66.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.47 $16.47

$10.80 MX$188

52.50%

Apples (1kg)

$6.20 $6.20

$2.75 MX$47.94

125.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.44 MX$25.00

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$1.89 MX$32.83

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.17 MX$37.77

131.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.78 MX$30.97

100.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.22 MX$38.71

35.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.07 MX$18.60

105.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.08 MX$18.79

101.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.47 $9.47

$4.15 MX$72.2

128.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$10.45 MX$182

45.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.74 MX$30.34

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.58 MX$44.92

-3.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.51 MX$8.94

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.20 $42.20

$25.94 MX$451

62.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.21 MX$55.9

-8.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.50 MX$43.55

-39.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.01 $27.01

$3.19 MX$55.4

746.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.26 MX$21.87

-35.71%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

-0.86%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

7.28%

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

$273 $273

$82.0 MX$1,427

233.24%

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

$61.5 $61.5

$22.73 MX$395

170.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$29.42 MX$512

134.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.52 $37.52

$52.2 MX$908

-28.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.55 $34.55

$18.45 MX$321

87.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 $11.89

$4.93 MX$85.9

141.18%

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

$1,255 $1,255

$202 MX$3,511

522.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K $15.6K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

198.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 $55.3

$35.93 MX$625

54.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 $39.15

$40.33 MX$702

-2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 $81.6

$79.9 MX$1,390

2.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$89.3 MX$1,554

13.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 $891

$948 MX$16.5K

-6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 $1,130

$465 MX$8,097

142.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,587 $2,587

$1,630 MX$28.4K

58.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,214 $2,214

$1,193 MX$20.8K

85.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,432 $1,432

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-63.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,433 $1,433

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-77.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,180 $5,180

$658 MX$11.5K

686.86%

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 Lima, OH: July 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $891 in Lima, OH and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima, OH pays 687% 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: $79.0 in Lima, OH vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Lima, OH vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima, OH and Playa del Carmen differ by about 99% in total monthly costs ($2,506 vs $1,259 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 687% higher in Lima, OH, 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: $891 in Lima, OH versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Lima, OH. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $79.0 in Lima, OH. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,506 in Lima, OH, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lima, OH. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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, Lima, OH 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 99% less than in Lima, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.