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: $2,958 in Hackensack, NJ versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,654 in Hackensack, NJ versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,351 in Hackensack, NJ versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hackensack, NJ is roughly 128% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hackensack, NJ is 121% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.74 $19.74

$11.73 MX$205

68.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$41.62 MX$727

141.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.25 $14.25

$10.64 MX$186

33.93%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$3.52 MX$61.5

51.14%

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

$2.37 $2.37

$1.51 MX$26.37

56.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.97 MX$17.00

98.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$2.95 MX$51.5

142.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.94 $8.94

$4.45 MX$77.8

100.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.38 MX$24.16

-7.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.89 MX$33.04

101.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$1.64 MX$28.59

221.34%

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$2.51 MX$43.76

90.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.09 $14.09

$8.34 MX$146

68.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.29 $10.29

$8.34 MX$146

23.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.43 $17.43

$10.73 MX$187

62.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.60 MX$45.48

93.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.46 MX$25.45

21.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.90 MX$33.19

106.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$2.08 MX$36.26

98.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.78 MX$31.01

55.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.19 MX$38.16

20.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.04 MX$18.16

137.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.08 MX$18.80

147.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$4.08 MX$71.3

189.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$10.32 MX$180

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.71 MX$29.90

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.58 MX$44.98

66.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.53 $3.53

$0.51 MX$8.90

592.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 $60.7

$26.46 MX$462

129.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.26 MX$57.0

-5.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.49 MX$43.51

-15.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.46 $24.46

$3.25 MX$56.7

652.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.31 MX$22.83

-30.53%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-22.87%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

9.07%

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

$212 $212

$82.9 MX$1,447

155.53%

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

$53.9 $53.9

$22.22 MX$388

142.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 $58.2

$29.34 MX$512

98.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.75 $45.75

$51.6 MX$902

-11.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$20.34 $20.34

$5.07 MX$88.5

301.18%

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

$1,393 $1,393

$201 MX$3,507

593.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

208.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.02 $49.02

$36.92 MX$645

32.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 $63.1

$39.79 MX$695

58.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 $88.2

$78.5 MX$1,370

12.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 $98.6

$87.1 MX$1,521

13.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 $1,772

$973 MX$17.0K

82.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 $1,634

$468 MX$8,169

249.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 $3,390

$1,641 MX$28.7K

106.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,271 $3,271

$1,221 MX$21.3K

167.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,570 $3,570

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-9.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,240 $3,240

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-50.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,265 $6,265

$664 MX$11.6K

843.67%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,772 in Hackensack, NJ and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays 844% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 128% 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.

Hackensack, NJ pays 844% 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: $1,772 in Hackensack, NJ versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,393 in Hackensack, 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 65% higher in Hackensack, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,958 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 $1,297 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 128% less than in Hackensack, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.