Cost of Living Comparison Between Newport, RI and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Newport, RI and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,636 in Newport, RI versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,571 in Newport, RI versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,506 in Newport, RI versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Newport, RI is roughly 181% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Newport, RI is 165% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 $20.34

$11.71 MX$198

73.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 $74.1

$46.59 MX$786

59.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 $12.84

$11.65 MX$197

10.21%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$4.09 MX$69.1

28.61%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$1.37 MX$23.20

100.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.83 MX$14.07

209.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.35 MX$56.6

74.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.37 $8.37

$6.91 MX$117

21.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.73 MX$29.15

-27.75%

White Bread (500g)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.26 MX$38.15

97.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$1.77 MX$29.86

614.12%

Eggs

$6.38 $6.38

$2.73 MX$46.12

133.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 $10.47

$9.18 MX$155

14.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.49 $10.49

$8.92 MX$151

17.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.98 $19.98

$12.60 MX$213

58.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.02 MX$51.0

78.48%

Banana (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.57 MX$26.51

108.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.13 MX$35.88

56.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.26 MX$38.22

34.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.00 MX$33.82

11.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.06 MX$34.85

18.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.18 MX$19.91

130.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.20 MX$20.32

144.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.13 $13.13

$4.63 MX$78.2

183.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.24 $16.24

$10.69 MX$180

51.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.62 MX$27.33

17.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.88 MX$48.63

-3.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.57 MX$9.68

259.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.9 $70.9

$29.83 MX$503

137.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 $6.12

$5.45 MX$91.9

12.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.55 MX$26.22

-38.06%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

65.90%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-0.99%

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

$178 $178

$89.1 MX$1,504

99.89%

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

$36.96 $36.96

$25.04 MX$423

47.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 $52.6

$31.50 MX$532

67.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.2 $91.2

$67.8 MX$1,144

34.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 $14.22

$5.05 MX$85.2

181.58%

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

$2,176 $2,176

$225 MX$3,797

867.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.28 $38.28

$47.44 MX$801

-19.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.24 $24.24

$44.98 MX$759

-46.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 $92.1

$82.0 MX$1,384

12.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,480 $2,480

$1,069 MX$18.0K

131.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,335 $2,335

$405 MX$6,842

475.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,668 $3,668

$1,935 MX$32.7K

89.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,633 $2,633

$1,301 MX$22.0K

102.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,276 $8,276

$3,995 MX$67.4K

107.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,007 $5,007

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-24.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,811 $2,811

$749 MX$12.6K

275.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

11.45

-47.25%

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

Last update for Newport, RI: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,480 in Newport, RI and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Newport, RI pays 275% 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: $74.0 in Newport, RI vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $457 vs $277 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

Newport, RI vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 181% lower than in Newport, RI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 275% higher in Newport, RI, 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: $2,480 in Newport, RI 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 65% higher in Newport, RI. 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 $47.00 versus $74.0 in Newport, RI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,636 in Newport, RI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Newport, RI. 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 $1,293 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 181% less than in Newport, RI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.