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: $2,651 in Cresskill, NJ versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,934 in Cresskill, NJ versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,218 in Cresskill, NJ versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Cresskill, NJ is 99% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.98 $17.98

$11.72 MX$203

53.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$41.89 MX$725

139.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.33 $12.33

$10.51 MX$182

17.32%

Cappuccino

$5.64 $5.64

$3.59 MX$62.0

57.10%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$1.51 MX$26.10

78.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.92 MX$15.83

119.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$2.96 MX$51.2

168.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.41 MX$76.3

78.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.40 MX$24.16

4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.88 MX$32.60

139.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.56 MX$26.97

151.28%

Eggs

$3.04 $3.04

$2.61 MX$45.14

16.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.92 $11.92

$8.32 MX$144

43.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$8.35 MX$145

51.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.12 $15.12

$10.86 MX$188

39.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$2.71 MX$46.93

128.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.51 MX$26.04

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$1.87 MX$32.41

205.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$2.19 MX$37.89

177.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.86 MX$32.14

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.23 MX$38.59

121.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.07 MX$18.48

158.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.09 MX$18.79

110.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.25 $15.25

$4.19 MX$72.4

263.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.29 $21.29

$10.43 MX$180

104.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.66 MX$28.68

51.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.61 MX$45.19

34.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.54 MX$9.37

272.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 $59.5

$26.16 MX$453

127.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.08 MX$53.3

-1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.40 MX$41.61

-7.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.97 $41.97

$3.13 MX$54.1

1240.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.31 MX$22.69

-26.72%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-16.08%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

4.87%

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

$160 $160

$81.3 MX$1,406

97.22%

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

$45.40 $45.40

$22.56 MX$390

101.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 $60.4

$30.05 MX$520

101.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.80 $42.80

$52.9 MX$915

-19.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$20.21 $20.21

$4.92 MX$85.1

310.77%

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

$1,209 $1,209

$201 MX$3,474

501.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K $14.1K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

171.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.59 $40.59

$35.92 MX$622

13.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.17 $30.17

$40.13 MX$694

-24.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 $98.1

$79.7 MX$1,379

23.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 $91.0

$86.5 MX$1,496

5.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

$978 MX$16.9K

62.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 $1,373

$470 MX$8,140

191.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 $2,580

$1,651 MX$28.6K

56.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 $2,227

$1,203 MX$20.8K

85.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,126 $3,126

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-20.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,327 $2,327

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-64.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,593 in Cresskill, NJ and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $100 in Cresskill, NJ vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 110% 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 $3,976 in Cresskill, NJ and $1,890 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: $1,593 in Cresskill, NJ versus $978 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 $42.00 versus $100 in Cresskill, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,651 per month in Cresskill, NJ versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,651 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 $1,260 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 110% less than in Cresskill, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.