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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,432 in Middletown, OH versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,386 in Middletown, OH versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,340 in Middletown, OH versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Middletown, OH is roughly 91% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Middletown, OH is 81% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.81 $14.81

$11.87 MX$204

24.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.54 $39.54

$42.90 MX$736

-7.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 $7.97

$10.65 MX$183

-25.16%

Cappuccino

$1.46 $1.46

$3.45 MX$59.2

-57.68%

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

$0.98 $0.98

$1.50 MX$25.81

-34.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.95 MX$16.28

8.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 $5.82

$3.03 MX$51.9

92.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$4.61 MX$79.1

73.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.38 MX$23.61

-44.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.85 MX$31.70

48.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.61 MX$27.65

37.27%

Eggs

$3.53 $3.53

$2.59 MX$44.51

36.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$8.26 MX$142

-46.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 $8.74

$8.37 MX$144

4.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.06 $13.06

$10.66 MX$183

22.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.63 MX$45.12

101.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.49 MX$25.53

-24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.92 MX$32.94

16.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.09 MX$35.81

47.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.86 MX$31.88

11.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.26 MX$38.81

15.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.06 MX$18.23

65.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.09 MX$18.67

96.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 $8.03

$4.15 MX$71.2

93.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.81 $11.81

$10.39 MX$178

13.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.72 MX$29.59

3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.61 MX$44.85

-16.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.54 MX$9.30

281.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.13 MX$53.7

-35.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.51 MX$43.09

-30.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.81 $33.81

$3.15 MX$54.1

973.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.27 MX$21.88

-38.58%

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

$33.8K $33.8K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

11.34%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

9.00%

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

$235 $235

$83.0 MX$1,425

182.93%

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

$40.49 $40.49

$22.71 MX$390

78.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.94 $36.94

$29.46 MX$506

25.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.91 $42.91

$51.0 MX$875

-15.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$4.93 MX$84.5

198.78%

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

$1,781 $1,781

$197 MX$3,386

802.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.9K $26.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

409.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.80 $47.80

$36.90 MX$633

29.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.50 $40.50

$39.89 MX$685

1.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 $90.2

$80.0 MX$1,373

12.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$89.5 MX$1,536

34.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 $1,573

$956 MX$16.4K

64.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 $1,350

$477 MX$8,189

182.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 $2,626

$1,646 MX$28.3K

59.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,244 $2,244

$1,225 MX$21.0K

83.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,000 $6,000

$667 MX$11.4K

799.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.42

-42.73%

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

Last update for Middletown, OH: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Middletown, OH and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Middletown, OH pays 800% 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 Middletown, OH vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $250, 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 91% 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.

Middletown, OH pays 800% 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: $1,573 in Middletown, OH versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Middletown, OH. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,432 per month in Middletown, OH versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,432 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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,271 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Middletown, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.