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: $2,456 in Lima, OH versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,842 in Lima, OH versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,228 in Lima, OH versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lima, OH is roughly 89% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lima, OH is 83% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 $20.17

$11.73 MX$205

71.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$41.62 MX$727

95.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 $11.16

$10.64 MX$186

4.89%

Cappuccino

$4.78 $4.78

$3.52 MX$61.5

35.80%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$1.51 MX$26.37

64.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.97 MX$17.00

130.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 $5.62

$2.95 MX$51.5

90.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$4.45 MX$77.8

56.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.38 MX$24.16

-39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.89 MX$33.04

65.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.64 MX$28.59

157.93%

Eggs

$3.27 $3.27

$2.51 MX$43.76

30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 $13.23

$8.34 MX$146

58.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.78 $13.78

$8.34 MX$146

65.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 $16.13

$10.73 MX$187

50.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.60 MX$45.48

126.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.46 MX$25.45

-10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$1.90 MX$33.19

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.08 MX$36.26

145.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.78 MX$31.01

111.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.19 MX$38.16

39.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.04 MX$18.16

114.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.08 MX$18.80

93.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.41 $9.41

$4.08 MX$71.3

130.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$10.32 MX$180

43.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.71 MX$29.90

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.58 MX$44.98

-4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.51 MX$8.90

284.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.02 $43.02

$26.46 MX$462

62.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.26 MX$57.0

-10.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.49 MX$43.51

-36.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.51 $26.51

$3.25 MX$56.7

715.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.31 MX$22.83

-35.88%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-2.73%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

7.81%

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

$276 $276

$82.9 MX$1,447

233.12%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$22.22 MX$388

170.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$29.34 MX$512

131.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.05 $38.05

$51.6 MX$902

-26.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.56 $34.56

$18.32 MX$320

88.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$5.07 MX$88.5

138.86%

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

$1,250 $1,250

$201 MX$3,507

522.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K $15.2K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

191.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 $54.0

$36.92 MX$645

46.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.68 $38.68

$39.79 MX$695

-2.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 $80.1

$78.5 MX$1,370

2.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$87.1 MX$1,521

18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 $859

$973 MX$17.0K

-11.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 $1,121

$468 MX$8,169

139.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 $2,657

$1,641 MX$28.7K

61.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 $2,194

$1,221 MX$21.3K

79.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,397 $1,397

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-64.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,404 $1,404

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-78.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,089 $5,089

$664 MX$11.6K

666.44%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $859 in Lima, OH and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima, OH pays 666% 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: $81.0 in Lima, OH vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $249 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 89% in total monthly costs ($2,456 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lima, OH pays 666% 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: $859 in Lima, OH versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% 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 $81.0 in Lima, OH. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,456 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 89% less than in Lima, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.