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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,412 per month in Brooklyn, NY vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,540 per month in Brooklyn, NY vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,668 per month in Brooklyn, NY vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brooklyn, NY costs about 249% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Brooklyn, NY sits 223% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.14 $20.14

$11.60 MX$200

73.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$47.11 MX$811

114.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$11.88 MX$205

-0.59%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$3.98 MX$68.5

41.96%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.43 MX$24.57

76.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.82 MX$14.20

153.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 $8.17

$3.19 MX$54.9

156.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 $8.92

$6.79 MX$117

31.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.68 MX$28.85

-2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.20 MX$37.83

120.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.20 $7.20

$1.71 MX$29.41

321.05%

Eggs

$6.42 $6.42

$2.74 MX$47.20

134.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.83 $16.83

$9.58 MX$165

75.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.85 $16.85

$9.01 MX$155

87.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.29 $20.29

$12.81 MX$221

58.39%

Apples (1kg)

$7.96 $7.96

$2.89 MX$49.74

175.43%

Banana (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.50 MX$25.78

153.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$2.15 MX$36.98

155.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.26 MX$38.91

158.41%

Potato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.98 MX$34.10

107.58%

Onion (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$1.99 MX$34.26

139.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.23 MX$21.25

107.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.20 MX$20.60

113.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.23 $15.23

$4.55 MX$78.3

234.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.92 $20.92

$10.37 MX$179

101.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.62 MX$27.88

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.88 MX$49.60

15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$0.60 MX$10.34

393.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 $141

$28.80 MX$496

388.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.39 MX$92.8

-45.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 $2.19

$3.73 MX$64.2

-41.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 $42.45

$5.77 MX$99.3

635.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.54 MX$26.45

-24.03%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

54.81%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-2.53%

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

$242 $242

$91.4 MX$1,573

164.82%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$25.20 MX$434

115.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 $62.7

$31.24 MX$538

100.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 $105

$67.2 MX$1,157

56.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.64 $35.64

$29.11 MX$501

22.43%

Cinema Ticket

$19.69 $19.69

$4.86 MX$83.7

305.14%

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

$2,454 $2,454

$224 MX$3,851

997.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.0K $34.0K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

703.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$47.10 MX$811

44.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.4 $77.4

$44.29 MX$763

74.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$80.1 MX$1,379

49.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$92.7 MX$1,596

31.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,566 $3,566

$1,063 MX$18.3K

235.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 $2,626

$390 MX$6,719

573.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$7,415 $7,415

$2,149 MX$37.0K

245.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,616 $4,616

$1,272 MX$21.9K

262.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K $13.6K

$4,001 MX$68.9K

239.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,809 $7,809

$6,502 MX$112.0K

20.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,753 $3,753

$758 MX$13.1K

395.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

11.45

-44.72%

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

Last update for Brooklyn, NY: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,566 in Brooklyn, NY versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 395% higher in Brooklyn, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Brooklyn, NY versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $553 vs $276 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,412 in Brooklyn, NY, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 249% apart. Brooklyn, NY costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,618 per month in Brooklyn, NY and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Brooklyn, NY and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,412 in Brooklyn, NY and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Brooklyn, NY at $4,412. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brooklyn, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Brooklyn, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $4,412 in Brooklyn, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brooklyn, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.