Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,166 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,152 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,139 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fort Lee, NJ is roughly 151% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Lee, NJ is 136% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$11.67 MX$202

68.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$41.88 MX$726

140.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 $12.74

$10.40 MX$180

22.50%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$3.61 MX$62.6

47.09%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$1.47 MX$25.45

63.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.91 MX$15.80

40.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 $7.07

$3.03 MX$52.6

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.18 $9.18

$4.47 MX$77.4

105.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.38 MX$23.83

-2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$1.84 MX$31.93

78.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.61 MX$27.82

166.46%

Eggs

$4.25 $4.25

$2.57 MX$44.52

65.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.43 $21.43

$8.49 MX$147

152.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 $11.73

$8.49 MX$147

38.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$10.99 MX$190

57.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.73 MX$47.25

79.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.50 MX$25.92

4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.96 MX$33.93

105.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.12 MX$36.70

92.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.86 MX$32.30

54.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.17 MX$37.67

75.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.07 MX$18.59

131.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.05 MX$18.18

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.02 $12.02

$4.19 MX$72.6

186.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 $12.11

$10.28 MX$178

17.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.67 MX$28.87

4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 $6.10

$2.49 MX$43.12

144.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.77 $3.77

$0.54 MX$9.37

598.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.10 MX$53.8

-0.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.46 MX$42.66

-15.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.94 $23.94

$3.24 MX$56.1

638.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.26 MX$21.83

-26.19%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-1.10%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

7.52%

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

$127 $127

$84.0 MX$1,456

50.98%

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

$45.18 $45.18

$22.21 MX$385

103.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$29.65 MX$514

115.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$52.6 MX$912

136.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 $15.15

$4.95 MX$85.7

206.06%

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

$2,018 $2,018

$198 MX$3,438

917.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

352.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 $73.6

$35.95 MX$623

104.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 $61.1

$40.06 MX$694

52.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 $70.3

$78.8 MX$1,365

-10.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$86.5 MX$1,499

17.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,252 $2,252

$977 MX$16.9K

130.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 $1,855

$471 MX$8,158

294.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,689 $4,689

$1,595 MX$27.6K

193.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,838 $3,838

$1,215 MX$21.1K

215.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,388 $4,388

$4,032 MX$69.9K

8.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,733 $3,733

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-43.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,761 $6,761

$714 MX$12.4K

846.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

11.42

-44.40%

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

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,252 in Fort Lee, NJ and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 847% 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 Fort Lee, NJ vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 151% lower than in Fort Lee, 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.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 847% 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: $2,252 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,018 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $101 in Fort Lee, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,166 in Fort Lee, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fort Lee, 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 $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Fort Lee, NJ and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 151% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.