Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnegat, NJ and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnegat, NJ and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,779 in Barnegat, NJ versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,285 in Barnegat, NJ versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,792 in Barnegat, NJ versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barnegat, NJ is roughly 120% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnegat, NJ is 107% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.79 $19.79

$11.67 MX$202

69.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 $148

$41.88 MX$726

252.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.38 $12.38

$10.40 MX$180

19.04%

Cappuccino

$6.06 $6.06

$3.61 MX$62.6

67.87%

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

$3.38 $3.38

$1.47 MX$25.45

129.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.91 MX$15.80

182.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$3.03 MX$52.6

170.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.18 $12.18

$4.47 MX$77.4

172.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.38 MX$23.83

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$5.16 $5.16

$1.84 MX$31.93

180.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.22 $8.22

$1.61 MX$27.82

410.56%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

$2.57 MX$44.52

178.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.45 $17.45

$8.49 MX$147

105.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.77 $16.77

$8.49 MX$147

97.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.35 $20.35

$10.99 MX$190

85.17%

Apples (1kg)

$7.71 $7.71

$2.73 MX$47.25

182.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.50 MX$25.92

64.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$1.96 MX$33.93

186.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.12 MX$36.70

83.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.86 MX$32.30

97.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.17 MX$37.67

81.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.07 MX$18.59

194.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.05 MX$18.18

141.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.69 $18.69

$4.19 MX$72.6

346.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$10.28 MX$178

43.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.67 MX$28.87

75.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.49 MX$43.12

50.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.54 MX$9.37

275.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.10 MX$53.8

-1.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$2.46 MX$42.66

-43.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.17 $24.17

$3.24 MX$56.1

645.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.26 MX$21.83

-38.89%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

15.50%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

21.68%

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

$185 $185

$84.0 MX$1,456

119.99%

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

$58.7 $58.7

$22.21 MX$385

164.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 $63.3

$29.65 MX$514

113.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.03 $43.03

$52.6 MX$912

-18.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$19.91 $19.91

$4.95 MX$85.7

302.22%

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

$3,194 $3,194

$198 MX$3,438

1510.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

334.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$35.95 MX$623

84.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.20 $48.20

$40.06 MX$694

20.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$78.8 MX$1,365

44.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 $167

$86.5 MX$1,499

93.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$977 MX$16.9K

64.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 $1,334

$471 MX$8,158

183.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,648 $2,648

$1,595 MX$27.6K

66.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,191 $2,191

$1,215 MX$21.1K

80.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,413 $2,413

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-40.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,065 $2,065

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-68.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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 Barnegat, NJ: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Barnegat, NJ and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $148 in Barnegat, NJ vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $530 vs $252 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

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

Barnegat, NJ and Playa del Carmen differ by about 120% in total monthly costs ($2,779 vs $1,261 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,168 in Barnegat, NJ and $1,891 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,602 in Barnegat, NJ versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,194 in Barnegat, 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 $42.00 versus $148 in Barnegat, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,779 in Barnegat, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Barnegat, 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 120% less than in Barnegat, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.