Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,884 in Portsmouth, OH, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Portsmouth, OH, United States
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Portsmouth, OH
🇺🇸 United States
$1,884
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Portsmouth, OH and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Portsmouth, OH and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,884 per month in Portsmouth, OH vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Portsmouth, OH $1,884
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $2,629 per month in Portsmouth, OH vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Portsmouth, OH $2,629
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Portsmouth, OH vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Portsmouth, OH $3,374
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Portsmouth, OH costs about 57% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Portsmouth, OH sits 39% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Portsmouth, OH
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.24 $14.24
$10.67 MX$200
33.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.58 $39.58
$43.80 MX$823
-9.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.89 $7.89
$11.79 MX$221
-33.08%
Cappuccino
$4.06 $4.06
$3.79 MX$71.1
7.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 $2.15
$1.30 MX$24.36
65.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 $1.58
$0.83 MX$15.65
90.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.85 $9.85
$3.15 MX$59.1
212.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.10 $12.10
$4.93 MX$92.7
145.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Portsmouth, OH
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.75 $0.75
$1.41 MX$26.46
-46.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.20 MX$41.23
27.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.79 $3.79
$1.47 MX$27.66
157.82%
Eggs
$2.28 $2.28
$2.50 MX$46.89
-8.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.13 $11.13
$7.29 MX$137
52.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$24.28 $24.28
$7.95 MX$149
205.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.54 $9.54
$12.86 MX$242
-25.82%
Apples (1kg)
$5.96 $5.96
$2.90 MX$54.4
105.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.38 MX$25.98
41.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$7.22 $7.22
$2.49 MX$46.78
189.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.39 $5.39
$2.03 MX$38.12
165.52%
Potato (1kg)
$2.65 $2.65
$2.02 MX$38.03
31.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.76 $1.76
$1.90 MX$35.74
-7.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.14 MX$21.49
27.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 $2.80
$1.24 MX$23.27
125.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.09 $10.09
$4.27 MX$80.2
136.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.52 $19.52
$9.81 MX$184
98.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 $1.76
$1.59 MX$29.78
10.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.99 $5.99
$2.75 MX$51.6
117.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Portsmouth, OH
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.74 $1.74
$0.51 MX$9.67
241.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$62.9 $62.9
$27.39 MX$514
129.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.94 $2.94
$4.76 MX$89.4
-38.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 $1.63
$3.25 MX$61.0
-49.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.08 $32.08
$5.39 MX$101
495.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.75 $0.75
$1.53 MX$28.70
-50.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K $28.0K
$21.2K MX$398.4K
32.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$23.3K MX$436.9K
11.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Portsmouth, OH
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$207 $207
$83.5 MX$1,568
148.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$51.9 $51.9
$23.19 MX$435
123.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.5 $58.5
$27.61 MX$519
111.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Portsmouth, OH
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.11 $44.11
$56.4 MX$1,060
-21.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.19 MX$529
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.51 $14.51
$5.00 MX$93.9
190.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Portsmouth, OH
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$539 $539
$207 MX$3,889
160.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.8K $10.8K
$5,231 MX$98.2K
105.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Portsmouth, OH
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.39 $30.39
$43.45 MX$816
-30.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.18 $25.18
$42.54 MX$799
-40.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$57.3 $57.3
$72.8 MX$1,367
-21.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 $121
$88.4 MX$1,660
37.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Portsmouth, OH
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$586 $586
$995 MX$18.7K
-41.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$580 $580
$382 MX$7,181
51.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$759 $759
$1,674 MX$31.4K
-54.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$697 $697
$1,081 MX$20.3K
-35.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,801 $2,801
$3,909 MX$73.4K
-28.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,485 $2,485
$6,138 MX$115.3K
-59.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Portsmouth, OH
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,583 $1,583
$832 MX$15.6K
90.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.74
11.45
-41.14%

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

Last update for Portsmouth, OH: November 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Portsmouth, OH
$580
Playa del Carmen
$382 34.1% $198
Groceries & Markets
Portsmouth, OH
$451
Playa del Carmen
$257 42.9% $194
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Portsmouth, OH
$318
Playa del Carmen
$134 57.8% $184
Eating Out
Portsmouth, OH
$275
Playa del Carmen
$200 27.1% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Portsmouth, OH
$105
Playa del Carmen
$111 5.5% $5.8
Getting Around
Portsmouth, OH
$81
Playa del Carmen
$50 37.7% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Portsmouth, OH
$73
Playa del Carmen
$66 9.1% $6.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $586 in Portsmouth, OH versus $995 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 90% higher in Portsmouth, OH. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Portsmouth, OH versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $451 in Portsmouth, OH vs $257 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Portsmouth, OH
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
00:44 12:44 AM
00:44 12:44 AM
Same time as Portsmouth, OH
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
95,535
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.08 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Portsmouth, OH Playa del Carmen 2,050 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Portsmouth, OH
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Portsmouth, OH vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Portsmouth, OH?
Yes – Portsmouth, OH is pricier by about 57%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,825 per month in Portsmouth, OH and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Portsmouth, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $586 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Portsmouth, OH and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,884 in Portsmouth, OH and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 36% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 56% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Portsmouth, OH or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Portsmouth, OH at $1,884. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Portsmouth, OH it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Portsmouth, OH or in Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Playa del Carmen to $1,884 in Portsmouth, OH. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Portsmouth, OH makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Portsmouth, OH vs other spots: cost of living compared

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