Cost of Living Comparison Between Howell Township, NJ and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Howell Township, NJ and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,619 in Howell Township, NJ versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,835 in Howell Township, NJ versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,050 in Howell Township, NJ versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Howell Township, NJ is roughly 107% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Howell Township, NJ is 91% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.16 $20.16

$11.60 MX$199

73.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$47.11 MX$809

56.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 $11.43

$11.88 MX$204

-3.79%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$3.98 MX$68.2

30.65%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$1.43 MX$24.49

86.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.82 MX$14.16

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 $6.17

$3.19 MX$54.7

93.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 $7.38

$6.79 MX$117

8.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.68 MX$28.76

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.20 MX$37.71

73.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.71 MX$29.32

154.97%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$2.74 MX$47.05

48.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 $11.97

$9.58 MX$164

24.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.15 $12.15

$9.01 MX$155

34.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 $17.18

$12.81 MX$220

34.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$2.89 MX$49.58

78.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.50 MX$25.70

-14.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.15 MX$36.87

79.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.26 MX$38.79

84.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.98 MX$34.00

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.99 MX$34.15

31.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.23 MX$21.18

54.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.20 MX$20.54

90.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.03 $10.03

$4.55 MX$78.1

120.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.31 $14.31

$10.37 MX$178

37.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.62 MX$27.79

25.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.88 MX$49.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.60 MX$10.30

220.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 $2.79

$5.39 MX$92.5

-48.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 $1.55

$3.73 MX$64.0

-58.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.27 $27.27

$5.77 MX$99.0

372.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.54 MX$26.37

-39.61%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

59.61%

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

$22.5K $22.5K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

-13.50%

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

$196 $196

$91.4 MX$1,569

114.42%

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

$56.4 $56.4

$25.20 MX$433

123.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$128 $128

$31.24 MX$536

310.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 $41.59

$67.2 MX$1,154

-38.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 $14.05

$4.86 MX$83.5

189.09%

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

$1,609 $1,609

$224 MX$3,839

619.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

484.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 $51.2

$47.10 MX$808

8.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 $40.83

$44.29 MX$760

-7.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 $88.7

$80.1 MX$1,375

10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$92.7 MX$1,591

23.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 $1,589

$1,063 MX$18.2K

49.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$390 MX$6,698

229.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 $2,470

$2,149 MX$36.9K

14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,161 $2,161

$1,272 MX$21.8K

69.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,943 $2,943

$4,001 MX$68.7K

-26.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,038 $2,038

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-68.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 $3,032

$758 MX$13.0K

299.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.45

-46.55%

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

Last update for Howell Township, NJ: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Howell Township, NJ and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Howell Township, NJ pays 300% 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: $74.0 in Howell Township, NJ vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 300% higher in Howell Township, 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: $1,589 in Howell Township, NJ versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Howell Township, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,619 per month in Howell Township, NJ versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,619 in Howell Township, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Howell Township, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Howell Township, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Howell Township, 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 107% less than in Howell Township, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.