Cost of Living Comparison Between Brookhaven, NY and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Brookhaven, NY and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,760 in Brookhaven, NY versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,079 in Brookhaven, NY versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,398 in Brookhaven, NY versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Brookhaven, NY is roughly 113% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brookhaven, NY is 101% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.59 $24.59

$11.71 MX$198

109.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.4 $99.4

$46.59 MX$786

113.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 $10.96

$11.65 MX$197

-5.92%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$4.09 MX$69.1

30.81%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$1.37 MX$23.20

63.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.83 MX$14.07

93.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 $8.01

$3.35 MX$56.6

139.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 $7.86

$6.91 MX$117

13.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.73 MX$29.15

-26.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.26 MX$38.15

71.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.68 $7.68

$1.77 MX$29.86

333.90%

Eggs

$5.53 $5.53

$2.73 MX$46.12

102.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$9.18 MX$155

36.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 $12.00

$8.92 MX$151

34.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.19 $17.19

$12.60 MX$213

36.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$3.02 MX$51.0

74.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.57 MX$26.51

10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$2.13 MX$35.88

190.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.26 MX$38.22

119.47%

Potato (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$2.00 MX$33.82

171.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.06 MX$34.85

82.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.18 MX$19.91

138.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.20 MX$20.32

139.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 $11.29

$4.63 MX$78.2

143.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.80 $23.80

$10.69 MX$180

122.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.62 MX$27.33

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 $5.31

$2.88 MX$48.63

84.37%

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)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.70 MX$62.5

-45.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.85 $23.85

$5.98 MX$101

298.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.55 MX$26.22

-30.97%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

65.16%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-0.39%

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

$210 $210

$89.1 MX$1,504

135.14%

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

$77.8 $77.8

$25.04 MX$423

210.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$31.50 MX$532

113.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.52 $35.52

$67.8 MX$1,144

-47.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$14.68 $14.68

$5.05 MX$85.2

190.69%

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

$2,248 $2,248

$225 MX$3,797

899.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

463.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.88 $40.88

$47.44 MX$801

-13.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 $56.6

$44.98 MX$759

25.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 $75.9

$82.0 MX$1,384

-7.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 $156

$92.1 MX$1,555

69.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 $1,568

$1,069 MX$18.0K

46.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 $1,356

$405 MX$6,842

234.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,539 $2,539

$1,935 MX$32.7K

31.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,100 $2,100

$1,301 MX$22.0K

61.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,740 $2,740

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-31.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,623 $2,623

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-60.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.45

-46.11%

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

Last update for Brookhaven, NY: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,568 in Brookhaven, NY and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Brookhaven, NY vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $476 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

Brookhaven, NY vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,141 in Brookhaven, NY 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: $1,568 in Brookhaven, NY versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Brookhaven, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,760 per month in Brookhaven, NY versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,760 in Brookhaven, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Brookhaven, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Brookhaven, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Brookhaven, NY and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Brookhaven, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.