Cost of Living Comparison Between Atlantic City, NJ and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Atlantic City, NJ and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,409 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,656 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,902 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Atlantic City, NJ is roughly 90% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Atlantic City, NJ is 79% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.43 $25.43

$11.87 MX$204

114.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 $59.6

$42.90 MX$736

38.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.30 $12.30

$10.65 MX$183

15.49%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$3.45 MX$59.2

60.58%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$1.50 MX$25.81

78.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.95 MX$16.28

156.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$3.03 MX$51.9

127.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.76 $8.76

$4.61 MX$79.1

90.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.38 MX$23.61

-12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.85 MX$31.70

120.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.29 $8.29

$1.61 MX$27.65

414.91%

Eggs

$6.20 $6.20

$2.59 MX$44.51

139.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.18 $17.18

$8.26 MX$142

107.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.43 $16.43

$8.37 MX$144

96.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.35 $20.35

$10.66 MX$183

90.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.63 MX$45.12

68.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.49 MX$25.53

67.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$1.92 MX$32.94

200.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$2.09 MX$35.81

211.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$1.86 MX$31.88

107.53%

Onion (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.26 MX$38.81

79.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.06 MX$18.23

92.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.09 MX$18.67

80.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.18 $19.18

$4.15 MX$71.2

362.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$10.39 MX$178

47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.72 MX$29.59

69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.61 MX$44.85

44.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.54 MX$9.30

275.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.13 MX$53.7

58.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.51 MX$43.09

-12.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.18 $41.18

$3.15 MX$54.1

1207.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.27 MX$21.88

-36.22%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

16.71%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

16.38%

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

$181 $181

$83.0 MX$1,425

117.61%

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

$59.2 $59.2

$22.71 MX$390

160.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 $55.0

$29.46 MX$506

86.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.10 $43.10

$51.0 MX$875

-15.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$14.50 $14.50

$4.93 MX$84.5

194.12%

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

$3,164 $3,164

$197 MX$3,386

1503.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

349.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.82 $42.82

$36.90 MX$633

16.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.48 $40.48

$39.89 MX$685

1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 $60.6

$80.0 MX$1,373

-24.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.8 $73.8

$89.5 MX$1,536

-17.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 $1,398

$956 MX$16.4K

46.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$985 $985

$477 MX$8,189

106.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 $1,963

$1,646 MX$28.3K

19.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,873 $1,873

$1,225 MX$21.0K

52.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,650 $3,650

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-6.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,575 $3,575

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-44.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,855 $4,855

$667 MX$11.4K

627.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

11.42

-43.61%

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

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,398 in Atlantic City, NJ and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 628% 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: $60.0 in Atlantic City, NJ vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $503 vs $250 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

Atlantic City, NJ vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Atlantic City, NJ and Playa del Carmen differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($2,409 vs $1,271 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 628% 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: $1,398 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,164 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $60.0 in Atlantic City, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,409 in Atlantic City, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Atlantic City, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Atlantic City, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.