Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,259 in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,407 in Bergen County, NJ versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,555 in Bergen County, NJ versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bergen County, NJ is roughly 229% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bergen County, NJ is 210% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.15 $22.15

$11.71 MX$198

89.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 $83.8

$46.59 MX$787

79.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.57 $12.57

$11.65 MX$197

7.90%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$4.09 MX$69.1

29.58%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$1.37 MX$23.21

120.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.83 MX$14.08

169.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 $7.86

$3.35 MX$56.6

134.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.91 MX$117

16.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.73 MX$29.16

-18.50%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.26 MX$38.17

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$1.77 MX$29.88

390.40%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$2.73 MX$46.14

93.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$9.18 MX$155

36.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 $11.65

$8.92 MX$151

30.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$12.60 MX$213

37.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$3.02 MX$51.0

77.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.57 MX$26.52

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.13 MX$35.89

136.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.26 MX$38.23

124.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.00 MX$33.84

39.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.06 MX$34.86

52.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.18 MX$19.92

101.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.20 MX$20.33

105.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.15 $13.15

$4.63 MX$78.3

184.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.64 $23.64

$10.69 MX$180

121.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.62 MX$27.35

6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.88 MX$48.65

54.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 $4.14

$0.57 MX$9.68

626.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$168 $168

$29.83 MX$504

462.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$5.45 MX$92.0

-50.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.70 MX$62.6

-58.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.59 $23.59

$5.98 MX$101

294.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.55 MX$26.23

-31.61%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$22.3K MX$377.0K

64.25%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$25.9K MX$438.2K

-3.64%

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

$207 $207

$89.1 MX$1,505

131.96%

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

$77.1 $77.1

$25.04 MX$423

208.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$31.50 MX$532

114.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$67.8 MX$1,145

48.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.77 $49.77

$28.92 MX$488

72.10%

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 $14.88

$5.05 MX$85.3

194.65%

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

$2,257 $2,257

$225 MX$3,798

903.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

462.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.41 $49.41

$47.44 MX$801

4.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 $46.40

$44.98 MX$759

3.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$82.0 MX$1,384

-2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$92.1 MX$1,555

62.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,729 $2,729

$1,069 MX$18.1K

155.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 $2,678

$405 MX$6,844

560.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,703 $4,703

$1,935 MX$32.7K

143.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,956 $2,956

$1,301 MX$22.0K

127.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 $3,914

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-2.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,785 $3,785

$6,626 MX$111.9K

-42.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,352 $5,352

$749 MX$12.6K

614.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.16

11.45

-46.20%

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

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,729 in Bergen County, NJ and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ pays 615% 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: $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $464 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

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

Bergen County, NJ and Playa del Carmen differ by about 229% in total monthly costs ($4,259 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 615% higher in Bergen County, 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: $2,729 in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,259 per month in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 229% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,259 in Bergen County, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bergen County, 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 229% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.