Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between South Portland, ME and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $3,045 in South Portland, ME, rent and utilities included – about $22,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

148

Cost of Living Index in South Portland, ME
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South Portland, ME Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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South Portland, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$3,045

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in South Portland, ME 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 South Portland, ME and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,045 per month in South Portland, ME vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

South Portland, ME $3,045
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $4,568 per month in South Portland, ME vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

South Portland, ME $4,568
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $6,091 per month in South Portland, ME vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

South Portland, ME $6,091
Playa del Carmen $2,959

South Portland, ME costs about 153% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

South Portland, ME sits 124% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.94 $24.94

$10.92 MX$204

128.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$43.37 MX$808

171.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.71 $14.71

$11.78 MX$220

24.87%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$3.81 MX$71.0

40.42%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$1.28 MX$23.90

141.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.78 MX$14.59

203.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 $7.81

$3.17 MX$59.0

146.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$4.93 MX$92.0

61.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.41 MX$26.22

-24.11%

White Bread (500g)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.22 MX$41.33

97.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$1.42 MX$26.42

390.14%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$2.52 MX$47.03

59.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$7.26 MX$135

111.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 $10.35

$7.70 MX$143

34.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 $15.97

$12.69 MX$237

25.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.78 MX$51.9

71.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.37 MX$25.50

20.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$2.55 MX$47.55

116.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.61 $7.61

$2.12 MX$39.58

258.96%

Potato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.94 MX$36.13

125.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.89 MX$35.16

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.15 MX$21.37

154.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.18 MX$21.98

119.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.31 $12.31

$4.30 MX$80.1

186.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$9.95 MX$185

51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.58 MX$29.52

20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.67 MX$49.79

-2.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.55 MX$10.31

247.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 $51.3

$26.62 MX$496

92.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$4.97 MX$92.6

-58.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.33 MX$62.1

-52.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.94 $10.94

$5.36 MX$99.8

104.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.44 MX$26.92

-24.31%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$20.7K MX$385.2K

33.03%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.5K MX$437.4K

13.89%

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

$239 $239

$84.8 MX$1,581

181.67%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$23.41 MX$436

191.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 $78.6

$28.66 MX$534

174.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.18 $40.18

$57.1 MX$1,063

-29.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.61 $29.61

$28.91 MX$539

2.42%

Cinema Ticket

$14.95 $14.95

$5.14 MX$95.8

190.86%

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

$401 $401

$207 MX$3,851

93.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K $15.1K

$3,927 MX$73.2K

285.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$43.35 MX$808

19.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$41.44 MX$772

23.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$74.2 MX$1,383

39.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$89.3 MX$1,664

46.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 $1,972

$980 MX$18.3K

101.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,537 $1,537

$381 MX$7,099

303.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,166 $3,166

$1,708 MX$31.8K

85.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,605 $2,605

$1,075 MX$20.0K

142.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 $2,784

$3,943 MX$73.5K

-29.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 $2,332

$6,158 MX$114.8K

-62.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,169 $4,169

$735 MX$13.7K

467.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

11.45

-41.92%

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

Last update for South Portland, ME: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

South Portland, ME

$1.5K 50.5%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 75.2% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

South Portland, ME

$446 14.7%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 42.9% $192

Monthly Utilities & Internet

South Portland, ME

$386 12.7%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 64.5% $249

Eating Out

South Portland, ME

$385 12.6%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 47.4% $182

Clothing & Footwear

South Portland, ME

$152 5%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 26.4% $40

Sport & Entertainment

South Portland, ME

$70 2.3%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 3.9% $2.8

Getting Around

South Portland, ME

$69 2.3%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 26.7% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,972 in South Portland, ME versus $980 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 in South Portland, ME are about 5.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in South Portland, ME versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $446 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 South Portland, ME

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

10:11 10:11 AM

09:11 9:11 AM

1 h behind South Portland, ME

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,498

149,923

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

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South Portland, ME Playa del Carmen 3,000 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

South Portland, ME
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

South Portland, ME vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – South Portland, ME is pricier by about 153%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,567 per month in South Portland, ME and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,972 in South Portland, ME.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,045 in South Portland, ME and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a gap of about 153%.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in South Portland, ME at $3,045. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in South Portland, ME it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, South Portland, ME makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.