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: $2,965 in Hackensack, NJ versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,732 in Hackensack, NJ versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,498 in Hackensack, NJ versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hackensack, NJ is roughly 136% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hackensack, NJ is 122% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.90 $19.90

$11.95 MX$208

66.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$41.94 MX$730

135.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.23 $14.23

$10.42 MX$181

36.56%

Cappuccino

$5.46 $5.46

$3.51 MX$61.2

55.56%

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

$2.36 $2.36

$1.52 MX$26.39

55.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.91 MX$15.84

115.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$3.04 MX$52.9

127.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$4.37 MX$76.1

104.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.42 MX$24.73

-5.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.83 MX$31.87

102.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$1.63 MX$28.45

226.38%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.54 MX$44.20

87.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 $13.91

$8.57 MX$149

62.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 $10.45

$8.49 MX$148

23.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.11 $17.11

$10.80 MX$188

58.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.75 MX$47.94

77.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.44 MX$25.00

23.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.89 MX$32.83

111.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.17 MX$37.77

98.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.78 MX$30.97

58.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.22 MX$38.71

16.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.07 MX$18.60

128.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.08 MX$18.79

144.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.04 $12.04

$4.15 MX$72.2

190.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$10.45 MX$182

44.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.74 MX$30.34

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.58 MX$44.92

69.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 $3.41

$0.51 MX$8.94

568.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 $59.2

$25.94 MX$451

128.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.21 MX$55.9

-5.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.50 MX$43.55

-18.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.19 $24.19

$3.19 MX$55.4

658.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.26 MX$21.87

-30.95%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

-20.99%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

6.11%

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

$213 $213

$82.0 MX$1,427

159.28%

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

$52.9 $52.9

$22.73 MX$395

132.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 $58.6

$29.42 MX$512

99.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 $45.11

$52.2 MX$908

-13.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$19.69 $19.69

$4.93 MX$85.9

299.39%

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

$1,394 $1,394

$202 MX$3,511

591.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

204.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$35.93 MX$625

40.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 $63.0

$40.33 MX$702

56.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$79.9 MX$1,390

7.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 $99.9

$89.3 MX$1,554

11.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 $1,777

$948 MX$16.5K

87.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,648 $1,648

$465 MX$8,097

254.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,368 $3,368

$1,630 MX$28.4K

106.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,218 $3,218

$1,193 MX$20.8K

169.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,672 $3,672

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-6.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,268 $3,268

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-49.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,098 $6,098

$658 MX$11.5K

826.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

11.42

-42.03%

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

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Hackensack, NJ and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays 826% 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: $99.0 in Hackensack, NJ vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 136% 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 826% 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: $1,777 in Hackensack, NJ versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,394 in Hackensack, 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 63% higher in Hackensack, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,965 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 $1,259 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 136% less than in Hackensack, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.