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: $2,776 in Berkeley Heights, NJ versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,106 in Berkeley Heights, NJ versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,436 in Berkeley Heights, NJ versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.32 $20.32

$11.67 MX$202

74.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 $79.5

$41.88 MX$726

89.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$10.40 MX$180

43.65%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$3.61 MX$62.6

42.66%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$1.47 MX$25.45

67.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.91 MX$15.80

120.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 $7.86

$3.03 MX$52.6

159.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.11 $8.11

$4.47 MX$77.4

81.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.38 MX$23.83

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.84 MX$31.93

117.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.75 $9.75

$1.61 MX$27.82

505.59%

Eggs

$4.16 $4.16

$2.57 MX$44.52

61.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 $12.20

$8.49 MX$147

43.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.37 $11.37

$8.49 MX$147

33.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.37 $22.37

$10.99 MX$190

103.55%

Apples (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$2.73 MX$47.25

164.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.50 MX$25.92

66.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$1.96 MX$33.93

168.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.12 MX$36.70

179.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.86 MX$32.30

48.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.17 MX$37.67

67.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.07 MX$18.59

131.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.05 MX$18.18

177.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 $10.97

$4.19 MX$72.6

161.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$10.28 MX$178

44.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.67 MX$28.87

1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.36 $6.36

$2.49 MX$43.12

155.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.54 MX$9.37

277.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.10 MX$53.8

90.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.46 MX$42.66

-33.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.37 $42.37

$3.24 MX$56.1

1207.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.26 MX$21.83

-29.37%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-0.30%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

11.23%

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

$184 $184

$84.0 MX$1,456

118.51%

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

$49.68 $49.68

$22.21 MX$385

123.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 $55.4

$29.65 MX$514

86.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 $43.33

$52.6 MX$912

-17.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$14.97 $14.97

$4.95 MX$85.7

202.42%

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

$1,833 $1,833

$198 MX$3,438

824.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.4K $40.4K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

658.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 $70.9

$35.95 MX$623

97.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$40.06 MX$694

35.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 $142

$78.8 MX$1,365

79.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 $199

$86.5 MX$1,499

129.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 $1,620

$977 MX$16.9K

65.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 $1,366

$471 MX$8,158

190.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,621 $2,621

$1,595 MX$27.6K

64.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,214 $2,214

$1,215 MX$21.1K

82.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,836 $2,836

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-29.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,217 $2,217

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-66.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.42

-42.64%

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

Last update for Berkeley Heights, NJ: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,620 in Berkeley Heights, NJ and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80 in Berkeley Heights, NJ vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $480 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

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

Berkeley Heights, NJ and Playa del Carmen differ by about 120% in total monthly costs ($2,776 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 $4,164 in Berkeley Heights, 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: $1,620 in Berkeley Heights, NJ versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,833 in Berkeley Heights, 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 $80.0 in Berkeley Heights, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,776 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 120% less than in Berkeley Heights, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.