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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,102 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,379 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,657 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Elizabeth, NJ is roughly 146% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elizabeth, NJ is 132% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$11.95 MX$208

67.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$41.94 MX$730

134.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 $12.04

$10.42 MX$181

15.55%

Cappuccino

$5.95 $5.95

$3.51 MX$61.2

69.52%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$1.52 MX$26.39

57.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$0.91 MX$15.84

70.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$3.04 MX$52.9

124.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$4.37 MX$76.1

63.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.42 MX$24.73

-7.04%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.83 MX$31.87

135.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$1.63 MX$28.45

245.40%

Eggs

$5.47 $5.47

$2.54 MX$44.20

115.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.14 $14.14

$8.57 MX$149

64.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 $11.83

$8.49 MX$148

39.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 $17.34

$10.80 MX$188

60.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.75 MX$47.94

112.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.44 MX$25.00

86.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.89 MX$32.83

131.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.17 MX$37.77

105.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.78 MX$30.97

75.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.22 MX$38.71

27.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.07 MX$18.60

163.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.08 MX$18.79

136.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.94 $14.94

$4.15 MX$72.2

260.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$10.45 MX$182

44.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.74 MX$30.34

43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.58 MX$44.92

40.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 $2.89

$0.51 MX$8.94

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.7 $78.7

$25.94 MX$451

203.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.21 MX$55.9

-6.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.50 MX$43.55

-15.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.10 $42.10

$3.19 MX$55.4

1219.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.26 MX$21.87

-29.37%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

-19.53%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

1.67%

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

$213 $213

$82.0 MX$1,427

159.23%

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

$53.8 $53.8

$22.73 MX$395

136.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 $57.7

$29.42 MX$512

96.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.42 $25.42

$52.2 MX$908

-51.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$20.02 $20.02

$4.93 MX$85.9

306.09%

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

$1,777 $1,777

$202 MX$3,511

780.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K $14.3K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

174.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$35.93 MX$625

41.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 $58.7

$40.33 MX$702

45.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$79.9 MX$1,390

8.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$89.3 MX$1,554

39.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 $2,160

$948 MX$16.5K

127.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 $1,752

$465 MX$8,097

276.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$1,630 MX$28.4K

61.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 $2,457

$1,193 MX$20.8K

105.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,748 $2,748

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-30.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,362 $2,362

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-63.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,343 $5,343

$658 MX$11.5K

711.71%

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 Elizabeth, NJ: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,160 in Elizabeth, NJ and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elizabeth, NJ pays 712% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $98.0 in Elizabeth, NJ vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 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

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

Elizabeth, NJ and Playa del Carmen differ by about 146% in total monthly costs ($3,102 vs $1,259 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 712% higher in Elizabeth, NJ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,160 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,777 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $202 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Elizabeth, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,102 in Elizabeth, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Elizabeth, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Elizabeth, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.