😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,357 in Middletown, OH versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,358 in Middletown, OH versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,359 in Middletown, OH versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Middletown, OH is roughly 83% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Middletown, OH is 76% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Middletown, OH
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.26$15.26
$11.94MX$208
27.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.77$40.77
$42.75MX$744
-4.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.20$8.20
$10.59MX$184
-22.57%
Cappuccino
$1.47$1.47
$3.62MX$63.0
-59.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02$1.02
$1.47MX$25.54
-30.61%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02$1.02
$0.94MX$16.41
8.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.12$6.12
$3.09MX$53.8
98.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.93$7.93
$4.46MX$77.6
77.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Middletown, OH
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$0.78$0.78
$1.43MX$24.80
-45.45%
White Bread(500g)
$2.70$2.70
$1.88MX$32.79
43.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23$2.23
$1.63MX$28.34
36.81%
Eggs
$3.51$3.51
$2.64MX$45.99
32.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.43$4.43
$8.21MX$143
-46.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.62$8.62
$8.29MX$144
3.98%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.39$13.39
$11.10MX$193
20.63%
Apples(1kg)
$5.32$5.32
$2.65MX$46.14
100.75%
Banana(1kg)
$1.09$1.09
$1.50MX$26.11
-27.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.14$2.14
$1.99MX$34.59
7.54%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.19$3.19
$2.08MX$36.13
53.37%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04$2.04
$1.79MX$31.11
13.97%
Onion(1kg)
$2.61$2.61
$2.18MX$37.87
19.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.76$1.76
$1.08MX$18.73
62.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.13$2.13
$1.04MX$18.04
104.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.90$7.90
$3.97MX$69.1
98.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.03$12.03
$10.20MX$178
17.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78$1.78
$1.73MX$30.04
2.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21$2.21
$2.50MX$43.46
-11.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Middletown, OH
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.03$2.03
$0.52MX$9.02
290.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.97MX$469
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.02$2.02
$3.14MX$54.7
-35.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.66$1.66
$2.40MX$41.80
-30.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.93$33.93
$3.09MX$53.7
998.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.82$0.82
$1.27MX$22.16
-35.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K$34.0K
$30.9KMX$537.3K
9.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K$25.6K
$23.3KMX$405.7K
9.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Middletown, OH
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$238$238
$82.0MX$1,427
190.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.69$40.69
$22.45MX$391
81.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.90$36.90
$29.66MX$516
24.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Middletown, OH
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.06$43.06
$51.9MX$903
-16.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.67MX$325
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.98$14.98
$4.97MX$86.5
201.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Middletown, OH
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,734$1,734
$198MX$3,442
776.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$27.8K$27.8K
$5,273MX$91.7K
427.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Middletown, OH
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.06$47.06
$36.34MX$632
29.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.14$41.14
$40.05MX$697
2.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.2$90.2
$79.9MX$1,390
12.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120$120
$88.9MX$1,547
34.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Middletown, OH
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,592$1,592
$963MX$16.8K
65.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,337$1,337
$465MX$8,086
187.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,607$2,607
$1,596MX$27.8K
63.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,182$2,182
$1,209MX$21.0K
80.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Middletown, OH
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$6,000$6,000
$720MX$12.5K
732.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.54
11.42
-42.73%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Middletown, OH: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,592 in Middletown, OH and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Middletown, OH pays 733% 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: $41.00 in Middletown, OH vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $251, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Middletown, OH vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Middletown, OH or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 83% lower than in Middletown, OH. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Middletown, OH or Playa del Carmen?
Middletown, OH pays 733% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Middletown, OH vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,592 in Middletown, OH versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Middletown, OH or Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Middletown, OH. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Middletown, OH compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,357 per month in Middletown, OH versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Middletown, OH or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,357 in Middletown, OH, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Middletown, OH. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Middletown, OH or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Middletown, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Middletown, OH vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado