Cost of Living Comparison Between Jersey City, NJ and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Jersey City, NJ and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,769 in Jersey City, NJ versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,282 in Jersey City, NJ versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,796 in Jersey City, NJ versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jersey City, NJ is roughly 191% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jersey City, NJ is 174% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$11.71 MX$199

116.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$46.59 MX$792

115.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 $10.91

$11.65 MX$198

-6.35%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$4.09 MX$69.6

35.21%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$1.37 MX$23.35

62.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.83 MX$14.17

91.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 $7.91

$3.35 MX$57.0

136.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$6.91 MX$117

14.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.73 MX$29.35

-22.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.26 MX$38.41

67.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.49 $7.49

$1.77 MX$30.07

323.16%

Eggs

$5.72 $5.72

$2.73 MX$46.43

109.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 $12.41

$9.18 MX$156

35.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 $11.65

$8.92 MX$152

30.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.49 $17.49

$12.60 MX$214

38.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.02 MX$51.3

75.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.57 MX$26.69

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$2.13 MX$36.12

204.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.26 MX$38.48

121.68%

Potato (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$2.00 MX$34.05

173.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.06 MX$35.08

84.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.18 MX$20.05

145.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.20 MX$20.46

144.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.36 $11.36

$4.63 MX$78.8

145.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.19 $24.19

$10.69 MX$182

126.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.62 MX$27.52

6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.88 MX$48.96

91.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 $3.08

$0.57 MX$9.74

440.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 $105

$29.83 MX$507

252.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$5.45 MX$92.6

-45.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.70 MX$63.0

-45.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.37 $24.37

$5.98 MX$102

307.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.55 MX$26.40

-34.84%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

62.57%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

-2.44%

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

$210 $210

$89.1 MX$1,515

135.54%

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

$79.8 $79.8

$25.04 MX$426

218.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$31.50 MX$535

110.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 $55.9

$67.8 MX$1,152

-17.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.23 $43.23

$28.92 MX$491

49.48%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$5.05 MX$85.8

191.68%

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

$2,277 $2,277

$225 MX$3,823

912.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

469.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.27 $41.27

$47.44 MX$806

-13.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 $58.0

$44.98 MX$764

29.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 $74.9

$82.0 MX$1,393

-8.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 $156

$92.1 MX$1,565

69.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,370 $3,370

$1,069 MX$18.2K

215.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,249 $2,249

$405 MX$6,888

454.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,687 $5,687

$1,935 MX$32.9K

193.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,241 $3,241

$1,301 MX$22.1K

149.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 $7,831

$3,995 MX$67.9K

96.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,435 $5,435

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-17.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,231 $6,231

$749 MX$12.7K

732.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.45

-46.11%

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

Last update for Jersey City, NJ: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,370 in Jersey City, NJ and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jersey City, NJ pays 732% 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 Jersey City, NJ vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $479 vs $277 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 191% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 732% higher in Jersey City, 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: $3,370 in Jersey City, NJ versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 253% less than in Jersey City, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,277 in Jersey City, NJ versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,769 in Jersey City, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Jersey City, 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 Jersey City, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 191% less than in Jersey City, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.