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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,419 in Hackensack, NJ versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,210 in Hackensack, NJ versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,002 in Hackensack, NJ versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hackensack, NJ is roughly 170% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hackensack, NJ is 150% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.66 $24.66

$11.60 MX$200

112.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$47.11 MX$812

114.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.16 $13.16

$11.88 MX$205

10.77%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$3.98 MX$68.6

34.17%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$1.43 MX$24.60

66.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.82 MX$14.22

95.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.19 MX$55.0

152.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$6.79 MX$117

15.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.68 MX$28.89

-21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.20 MX$37.88

95.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$1.71 MX$29.45

245.03%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$2.74 MX$47.26

114.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 $12.31

$9.58 MX$165

28.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 $7.79

$9.01 MX$155

-13.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.94 $16.94

$12.81 MX$221

32.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$2.89 MX$49.81

85.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.50 MX$25.81

15.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.15 MX$37.03

103.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.26 MX$38.96

122.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.98 MX$34.15

55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.99 MX$34.30

55.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.23 MX$21.28

132.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.20 MX$20.63

143.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.25 $11.25

$4.55 MX$78.5

147.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$10.37 MX$179

46.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.62 MX$27.91

4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.88 MX$49.67

20.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 $3.40

$0.60 MX$10.35

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.5 $60.5

$28.80 MX$497

110.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$5.39 MX$92.9

-44.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$3.73 MX$64.3

-46.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.81 $23.81

$5.77 MX$99.5

312.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.54 MX$26.48

-31.17%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

58.00%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-4.97%

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

$211 $211

$91.4 MX$1,576

131.09%

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

$56.1 $56.1

$25.20 MX$435

122.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.64 $49.64

$31.24 MX$539

58.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 $44.22

$67.2 MX$1,159

-34.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 $20.19

$4.86 MX$83.8

315.43%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$224 MX$3,856

519.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K $16.0K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

278.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 $44.08

$47.10 MX$812

-6.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 $56.7

$44.29 MX$764

28.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 $88.0

$80.1 MX$1,381

9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$92.7 MX$1,598

9.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 $2,363

$1,063 MX$18.3K

122.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$390 MX$6,728

395.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,236 $4,236

$2,149 MX$37.1K

97.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,717 $3,717

$1,272 MX$21.9K

192.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,553 $3,553

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-11.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-48.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,205 $6,205

$758 MX$13.1K

718.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

11.45

-45.15%

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

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,363 in Hackensack, NJ and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays 718% 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 Hackensack, NJ vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 vs $276 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 170% lower than in Hackensack, 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.

Average pay runs 718% higher in Hackensack, 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: $2,363 in Hackensack, NJ versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,384 in Hackensack, NJ versus $224 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 51% higher in Hackensack, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,419 in Hackensack, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Hackensack, 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 $1,266 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Hackensack, 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 170% less than in Hackensack, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.