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: $2,346 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,838 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Atlantic City, NJ is roughly 82% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Atlantic City, NJ is 75% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.34 $25.34

$11.94 MX$208

112.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 $60.4

$42.75 MX$744

41.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$10.59 MX$184

13.60%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$3.62 MX$63.0

47.79%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.47 MX$25.54

89.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.94 MX$16.41

168.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 $7.20

$3.09 MX$53.8

133.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.95 $8.95

$4.46 MX$77.6

100.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.43 MX$24.80

-17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.88 MX$32.79

114.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.37 $8.37

$1.63 MX$28.34

413.50%

Eggs

$6.23 $6.23

$2.64 MX$45.99

135.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.54 $17.54

$8.21 MX$143

113.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.57 $16.57

$8.29 MX$144

99.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.35 $20.35

$11.10 MX$193

83.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.65 MX$46.14

67.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.50 MX$26.11

62.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$1.99 MX$34.59

190.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$2.08 MX$36.13

202.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.79 MX$31.11

112.29%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.18 MX$37.87

85.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.08 MX$18.73

79.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.04 MX$18.04

96.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.23 $19.23

$3.97 MX$69.1

384.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.48 $13.48

$10.20 MX$178

32.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.73 MX$30.04

68.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.50 MX$43.46

49.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.52 MX$9.02

280.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.14 MX$54.7

56.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.40 MX$41.80

-11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.80 $41.80

$3.09 MX$53.7

1252.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.27 MX$22.16

-35.43%

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

$34.3K $34.3K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

11.22%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

22.11%

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

$183 $183

$82.0 MX$1,427

123.46%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$22.45 MX$391

166.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 $54.4

$29.66 MX$516

83.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.23 $42.23

$51.9 MX$903

-18.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$14.66 $14.66

$4.97 MX$86.5

194.97%

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

$3,201 $3,201

$198 MX$3,442

1518.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

344.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.89 $41.89

$36.34 MX$632

15.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.74 $40.74

$40.05 MX$697

1.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 $59.8

$79.9 MX$1,390

-25.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 $74.3

$88.9 MX$1,547

-16.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 $1,385

$963 MX$16.8K

43.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 $1,017

$465 MX$8,086

118.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,982 $1,982

$1,596 MX$27.8K

24.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 $1,822

$1,209 MX$21.0K

50.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,629 $3,629

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-7.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,629 $3,629

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-43.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,834 $4,834

$720 MX$12.5K

570.96%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,385 in Atlantic City, NJ and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 571% 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 $499 vs $251 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 82% in total monthly costs ($2,346 vs $1,287 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 571% 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: $1,385 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,201 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $198 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,346 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 82% less than in Atlantic City, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.