Cost of Living Comparison Between Berkeley Heights, NJ and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Berkeley Heights, NJ and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,568 in Berkeley Heights, NJ versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,851 in Berkeley Heights, NJ versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,134 in Berkeley Heights, NJ versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Berkeley Heights, NJ is roughly 99% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Berkeley Heights, NJ is 87% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.69 $18.69

$11.71 MX$198

59.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$46.59 MX$786

73.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.80 $12.80

$11.65 MX$197

9.87%

Cappuccino

$6.36 $6.36

$4.09 MX$69.1

55.50%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.37 MX$23.20

87.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.83 MX$14.07

77.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.98 $8.98

$3.35 MX$56.6

168.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$6.91 MX$117

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.73 MX$29.15

-24.28%

White Bread (500g)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.26 MX$38.15

98.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$1.77 MX$29.86

238.42%

Eggs

$7.02 $7.02

$2.73 MX$46.12

157.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.04 $14.04

$9.18 MX$155

52.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.22 $10.22

$8.92 MX$151

14.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.71 $19.71

$12.60 MX$213

56.43%

Apples (1kg)

$6.00 $6.00

$3.02 MX$51.0

98.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.57 MX$26.51

127.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.13 MX$35.88

99.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$2.26 MX$38.22

136.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.00 MX$33.82

51.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.06 MX$34.85

76.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.18 MX$19.91

161.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.20 MX$20.32

152.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.61 $17.61

$4.63 MX$78.2

280.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$10.69 MX$180

38.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.62 MX$27.33

9.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.88 MX$48.63

22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.57 MX$9.68

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$5.45 MX$91.9

-44.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.70 MX$62.5

-42.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.50 $42.50

$5.98 MX$101

610.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.55 MX$26.22

-30.32%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

58.04%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-3.19%

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

$173 $173

$89.1 MX$1,504

94.21%

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

$50.7 $50.7

$25.04 MX$423

102.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.58 $49.58

$31.50 MX$532

57.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.78 $38.78

$67.8 MX$1,144

-42.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$20.56 $20.56

$5.05 MX$85.2

307.13%

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

$1,724 $1,724

$225 MX$3,797

666.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K $16.0K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

279.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 $51.0

$47.44 MX$801

7.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.90 $41.90

$44.98 MX$759

-6.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 $87.7

$82.0 MX$1,384

6.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$92.1 MX$1,555

9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 $1,692

$1,069 MX$18.0K

58.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 $1,143

$405 MX$6,842

181.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,394 $2,394

$1,935 MX$32.7K

23.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 $2,157

$1,301 MX$22.0K

65.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 $2,955

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-26.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,075 $2,075

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-68.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

11.45

-44.98%

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

Last update for Berkeley Heights, NJ: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,692 in Berkeley Heights, NJ and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Berkeley Heights, NJ vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $468 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

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

Berkeley Heights, NJ and Playa del Carmen differ by about 99% in total monthly costs ($2,568 vs $1,293 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 $3,852 in Berkeley Heights, NJ and $1,940 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: $1,692 in Berkeley Heights, NJ versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,724 in Berkeley Heights, NJ versus $225 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 $47.00 versus $81.0 in Berkeley Heights, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,568 in Berkeley Heights, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Berkeley Heights, 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 99% less than in Berkeley Heights, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.