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: $2,822 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,243 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,663 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Atlantic City, NJ is roughly 112% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Atlantic City, NJ is 106% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 $20.25

$13.02 MX$221

55.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$46.25 MX$784

120.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.83 $11.83

$12.59 MX$213

-6.04%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$4.00 MX$67.9

45.50%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$1.42 MX$24.08

76.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.81 MX$13.73

137.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 $6.91

$3.05 MX$51.7

126.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.13 $9.13

$6.82 MX$116

33.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.71 MX$29.04

-30.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.22 MX$37.62

50.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.91 $7.91

$1.72 MX$29.13

359.88%

Eggs

$6.01 $6.01

$2.71 MX$45.99

121.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 $10.82

$9.37 MX$159

15.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$8.86 MX$150

83.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.98 $17.98

$12.78 MX$217

40.69%

Apples (1kg)

$7.69 $7.69

$3.13 MX$53.0

145.69%

Banana (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.55 MX$26.24

138.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.15 MX$36.51

132.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$2.35 MX$39.89

162.55%

Potato (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.02 MX$34.23

110.40%

Onion (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$1.99 MX$33.67

142.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.24 MX$21.09

124.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.19 MX$20.21

86.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.57 $14.57

$4.65 MX$78.8

213.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 $13.30

$10.47 MX$177

27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.58 MX$26.82

66.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.92 MX$49.48

15.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$0.56 MX$9.53

442.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.3 $90.3

$29.76 MX$504

203.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.32 MX$90.2

-45.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 $2.18

$3.72 MX$63.0

-41.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.03 $42.03

$5.78 MX$97.9

627.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.55 MX$26.27

-44.52%

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

$19.7K $19.7K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

-11.76%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-3.89%

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

$245 $245

$89.3 MX$1,513

174.75%

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

$59.1 $59.1

$23.30 MX$395

153.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 $59.4

$31.72 MX$538

87.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.44 $29.44

$68.8 MX$1,165

-57.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.42 $49.42

$29.40 MX$498

68.10%

Cinema Ticket

$16.58 $16.58

$5.06 MX$85.7

227.67%

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

$501 $501

$222 MX$3,765

125.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,936 $6,936

$4,293 MX$72.7K

61.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 $73.1

$46.21 MX$783

58.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.83 $31.83

$44.43 MX$753

-28.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 $124

$95.5 MX$1,618

29.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$92.5 MX$1,568

35.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 $1,699

$1,069 MX$18.1K

58.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 $1,292

$393 MX$6,663

228.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,404 $2,404

$1,988 MX$33.7K

20.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 $2,172

$1,304 MX$22.1K

66.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,614 $3,614

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-10.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,577 $3,577

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-46.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,034 $4,034

$747 MX$12.7K

440.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

-74.14%

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

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,699 in Atlantic City, NJ and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 440% 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: $102 in Atlantic City, NJ vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $487 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

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

Atlantic City, NJ and Playa del Carmen differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($2,822 vs $1,330 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 440% higher in Atlantic City, NJ, 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: $1,699 in Atlantic City, NJ 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 76% higher in Atlantic City, NJ. 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 $46.00 versus $102 in Atlantic City, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,822 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 112% less than in Atlantic City, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.