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: $2,638 in Brookhaven, NY versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,001 in Brookhaven, NY versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,363 in Brookhaven, NY versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Brookhaven, NY is roughly 110% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brookhaven, NY is 97% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.79 $19.79

$11.95 MX$208

65.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$41.94 MX$730

141.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.42 MX$181

34.55%

Cappuccino

$5.29 $5.29

$3.51 MX$61.2

50.71%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$1.52 MX$26.39

57.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.91 MX$15.84

112.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.83 $6.83

$3.04 MX$52.9

124.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.80 $8.80

$4.37 MX$76.1

101.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.42 MX$24.73

-9.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.83 MX$31.87

101.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$1.63 MX$28.45

223.31%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$2.54 MX$44.20

92.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.44 $21.44

$8.57 MX$149

150.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.98 $11.98

$8.49 MX$148

41.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 $16.96

$10.80 MX$188

57.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.75 MX$47.94

77.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.44 MX$25.00

22.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.89 MX$32.83

106.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$2.17 MX$37.77

90.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.78 MX$30.97

56.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.22 MX$38.71

75.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.07 MX$18.60

125.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.08 MX$18.79

149.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.20 $12.20

$4.15 MX$72.2

193.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.23 $24.23

$10.45 MX$182

131.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.74 MX$30.34

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.58 MX$44.92

125.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.51 MX$8.94

286.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.21 MX$55.9

-5.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.50 MX$43.55

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.74 $23.74

$3.19 MX$55.4

644.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.26 MX$21.87

-30.95%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

18.73%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

8.41%

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

$128 $128

$82.0 MX$1,427

55.99%

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

$45.58 $45.58

$22.73 MX$395

100.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.9 $64.9

$29.42 MX$512

120.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 $42.96

$52.2 MX$908

-17.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$17.03 $17.03

$4.93 MX$85.9

245.44%

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

$2,223 $2,223

$202 MX$3,511

1001.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

346.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 $73.4

$35.93 MX$625

104.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.9 $62.9

$40.33 MX$702

56.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 $75.0

$79.9 MX$1,390

-6.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$89.3 MX$1,554

47.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 $1,588

$948 MX$16.5K

67.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 $1,347

$465 MX$8,097

189.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 $2,657

$1,630 MX$28.4K

63.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,198 $2,198

$1,193 MX$20.8K

84.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,809 $2,809

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-28.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,590 $2,590

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-59.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

11.42

-42.03%

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

Last update for Brookhaven, NY: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,588 in Brookhaven, NY and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Brookhaven, NY vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $464 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

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, Sport & Entertainment. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,957 in Brookhaven, NY and $1,888 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: $1,588 in Brookhaven, NY versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 84% higher in Brookhaven, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,638 per month in Brookhaven, NY versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,638 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 110% less than in Brookhaven, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.