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: $3,164 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,430 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,695 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Elizabeth, NJ is roughly 144% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elizabeth, NJ is 136% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.86 $19.86

$11.73 MX$205

69.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$41.62 MX$727

142.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 $11.77

$10.64 MX$186

10.62%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$3.52 MX$61.5

60.80%

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

$2.35 $2.35

$1.51 MX$26.37

55.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$0.97 MX$17.00

67.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 $6.90

$2.95 MX$51.5

133.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 $7.21

$4.45 MX$77.8

62.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.38 MX$24.16

-5.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.89 MX$33.04

128.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$1.64 MX$28.59

239.63%

Eggs

$5.50 $5.50

$2.51 MX$43.76

119.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.24 $14.24

$8.34 MX$146

70.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.52 $11.52

$8.34 MX$146

38.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.50 $17.50

$10.73 MX$187

63.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$2.60 MX$45.48

119.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.46 MX$25.45

82.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.90 MX$33.19

128.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.08 MX$36.26

116.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.78 MX$31.01

75.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.19 MX$38.16

28.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.04 MX$18.16

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.08 MX$18.80

125.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$4.08 MX$71.3

265.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$10.32 MX$180

43.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.71 MX$29.90

45.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.58 MX$44.98

42.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.51 MX$8.90

445.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.9 $76.9

$26.46 MX$462

190.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.26 MX$57.0

-5.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.49 MX$43.51

-13.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.47 $41.47

$3.25 MX$56.7

1176.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.31 MX$22.83

-31.30%

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

$23.3K $23.3K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-23.19%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

4.91%

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

$215 $215

$82.9 MX$1,447

159.26%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$22.22 MX$388

139.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 $58.6

$29.34 MX$512

99.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.03 $25.03

$51.6 MX$902

-51.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$19.89 $19.89

$5.07 MX$88.5

292.31%

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

$1,753 $1,753

$201 MX$3,507

773.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K $14.2K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

172.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.18 $49.18

$36.92 MX$645

33.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 $58.4

$39.79 MX$695

46.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$78.5 MX$1,370

9.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$87.1 MX$1,521

41.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,116 $2,116

$973 MX$17.0K

117.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 $1,715

$468 MX$8,169

266.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 $2,647

$1,641 MX$28.7K

61.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 $2,493

$1,221 MX$21.3K

104.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,714 $2,714

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-31.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,359 $2,359

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-63.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,226 $5,226

$664 MX$11.6K

687.10%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,116 in Elizabeth, NJ and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elizabeth, NJ pays 687% 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: $101 in Elizabeth, NJ vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $443 vs $249 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 144% in total monthly costs ($3,164 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Elizabeth, NJ pays 687% more on average, 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: $2,116 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,753 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $201 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 78% higher in Elizabeth, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,164 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 144% less than in Elizabeth, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.