Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, NY and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, NY and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,646 per month in Long Beach, NY vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,926 per month in Long Beach, NY vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,206 per month in Long Beach, NY vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Long Beach, NY costs about 99% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Long Beach, NY sits 93% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.23 $25.23

$13.02 MX$221

93.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$46.25 MX$784

72.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 $11.05

$12.59 MX$213

-12.23%

Cappuccino

$5.46 $5.46

$4.00 MX$67.9

36.50%

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

$2.29 $2.29

$1.42 MX$24.08

61.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.81 MX$13.73

90.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$3.05 MX$51.7

164.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 $7.98

$6.82 MX$116

17.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.71 MX$29.04

-26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 $3.87

$2.22 MX$37.62

74.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.24 $6.24

$1.72 MX$29.13

262.79%

Eggs

$7.12 $7.12

$2.71 MX$45.99

162.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 $13.05

$9.37 MX$159

39.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 $11.81

$8.86 MX$150

33.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.44 $16.44

$12.78 MX$217

28.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.13 MX$53.0

69.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.55 MX$26.24

10.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.15 MX$36.51

93.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.35 MX$39.89

114.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.02 MX$34.23

54.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.99 MX$33.67

75.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.24 MX$21.09

110.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.19 MX$20.21

136.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 $11.90

$4.65 MX$78.8

155.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$10.47 MX$177

40.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.58 MX$26.82

8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.92 MX$49.48

20.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.56 MX$9.53

251.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$5.32 MX$90.2

-43.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 $2.06

$3.72 MX$63.0

-44.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.60 $23.60

$5.78 MX$97.9

308.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.55 MX$26.27

-30.97%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

60.84%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-0.51%

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

$212 $212

$89.3 MX$1,513

137.26%

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

$49.97 $49.97

$23.30 MX$395

114.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 $50.9

$31.72 MX$538

60.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.18 $41.18

$68.8 MX$1,165

-40.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 $14.77

$5.06 MX$85.7

191.90%

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

$1,781 $1,781

$222 MX$3,765

701.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

276.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.52 $40.52

$46.21 MX$783

-12.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 $56.5

$44.43 MX$753

27.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 $77.5

$95.5 MX$1,618

-18.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$92.5 MX$1,568

71.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$1,069 MX$18.1K

49.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 $1,302

$393 MX$6,663

231.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 $2,469

$1,988 MX$33.7K

24.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$1,304 MX$22.1K

65.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,712 $2,712

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-32.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,377 $2,377

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-64.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.6

-46.81%

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

Last update for Long Beach, NY: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in Long Beach, NY versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Long Beach, NY versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $436 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Long Beach, NY vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Long Beach, NY costs about 99% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,968 per month in Long Beach, NY and $1,995 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Long Beach, NY and $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Long Beach, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Long Beach, NY at $2,646. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Beach, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,330 versus $2,646 in Long Beach, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Long Beach, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.