Cost of Living Comparison Between Cresskill, NJ and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cresskill, NJ and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,657 in Cresskill, NJ versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,003 in Cresskill, NJ versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,349 in Cresskill, NJ versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cresskill, NJ is roughly 107% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cresskill, NJ is 98% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.22 $18.22

$11.94 MX$209

52.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$42.75 MX$748

130.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.29 $12.29

$10.59 MX$185

16.05%

Cappuccino

$5.69 $5.69

$3.62 MX$63.4

57.18%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$1.47 MX$25.69

91.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.94 MX$16.51

126.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.11 $8.11

$3.09 MX$54.1

162.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$4.46 MX$78.0

83.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.43 MX$24.94

1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.58 $4.58

$1.88 MX$32.97

143.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.63 MX$28.50

147.24%

Eggs

$3.03 $3.03

$2.64 MX$46.26

14.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 $11.99

$8.21 MX$144

46.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.57 $12.57

$8.29 MX$145

51.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 $15.30

$11.10 MX$194

37.84%

Apples (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$2.65 MX$46.40

134.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.50 MX$26.26

9.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$1.99 MX$34.79

186.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$2.08 MX$36.33

196.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.79 MX$31.29

63.13%

Onion (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.18 MX$38.09

127.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.08 MX$18.84

153.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.04 MX$18.15

122.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 $14.81

$3.97 MX$69.5

273.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.77 $16.77

$10.20 MX$179

64.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.73 MX$30.22

45.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.50 MX$43.71

44.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.52 MX$9.07

273.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 $59.2

$26.97 MX$472

119.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.14 MX$55.0

-1.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.40 MX$42.04

-12.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.57 $41.57

$3.09 MX$54.0

1245.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.27 MX$22.28

-22.05%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-18.46%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

3.55%

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

$162 $162

$82.0 MX$1,435

97.29%

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

$45.38 $45.38

$22.45 MX$393

102.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$29.66 MX$519

104.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.43 $43.43

$51.9 MX$908

-16.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$20.20 $20.20

$4.97 MX$87.0

306.44%

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

$1,213 $1,213

$198 MX$3,462

513.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K $14.6K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

176.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.20 $40.20

$36.34 MX$636

10.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.20 $30.20

$40.05 MX$701

-24.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 $99.3

$79.9 MX$1,398

24.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 $91.0

$88.9 MX$1,555

2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,624 $1,624

$963 MX$16.9K

68.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 $1,341

$465 MX$8,133

188.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,667 $2,667

$1,596 MX$27.9K

67.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,262 $2,262

$1,209 MX$21.2K

87.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,470 $2,470

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-37.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,104 $2,104

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-67.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for Cresskill, NJ: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,624 in Cresskill, NJ and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Cresskill, NJ vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 vs $251 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 107% lower than in Cresskill, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,986 in Cresskill, NJ and $1,930 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: $1,624 in Cresskill, NJ versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $99.0 in Cresskill, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,657 per month in Cresskill, NJ versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,657 in Cresskill, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cresskill, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Cresskill, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.