Cost of Living Comparison Between North Brunswick, NJ and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between North Brunswick, NJ and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,546 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,726 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,907 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in North Brunswick, NJ is roughly 102% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: North Brunswick, NJ is 91% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.89 $18.89

$11.95 MX$208

58.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$41.94 MX$730

82.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 $10.90

$10.42 MX$181

4.61%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$3.51 MX$61.2

46.44%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$1.52 MX$26.39

71.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.91 MX$15.84

120.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$3.04 MX$52.9

99.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$4.37 MX$76.1

56.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.42 MX$24.73

-26.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.83 MX$31.87

96.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$1.63 MX$28.45

160.74%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$2.54 MX$44.20

60.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$8.57 MX$149

43.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.47 $11.47

$8.49 MX$148

35.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 $15.13

$10.80 MX$188

40.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.75 MX$47.94

82.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.44 MX$25.00

13.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.89 MX$32.83

121.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.17 MX$37.77

120.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.78 MX$30.97

63.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.22 MX$38.71

30.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.07 MX$18.60

86.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.08 MX$18.79

104.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.63 $9.63

$4.15 MX$72.2

132.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$10.45 MX$182

45.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.74 MX$30.34

2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.58 MX$44.92

28.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.51 MX$8.94

286.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.21 MX$55.9

7.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.50 MX$43.55

-36.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 $29.15

$3.19 MX$55.4

813.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.26 MX$21.87

-33.33%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

0.15%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

8.28%

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

$187 $187

$82.0 MX$1,427

128.01%

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

$51.8 $51.8

$22.73 MX$395

127.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.0 $68.0

$29.42 MX$512

131.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.79 $43.79

$52.2 MX$908

-16.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$13.25 $13.25

$4.93 MX$85.9

168.76%

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

$1,282 $1,282

$202 MX$3,511

535.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

345.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$35.93 MX$625

41.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.67 $40.67

$40.33 MX$702

0.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 $85.9

$79.9 MX$1,390

7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$89.3 MX$1,554

24.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 $1,625

$948 MX$16.5K

71.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$465 MX$8,097

196.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,592 $2,592

$1,630 MX$28.4K

59.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,217 $2,217

$1,193 MX$20.8K

85.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,054 $3,054

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-22.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 $2,228

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-65.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for North Brunswick, NJ: July 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in North Brunswick, NJ and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in North Brunswick, NJ vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 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

North Brunswick, 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,818 in North Brunswick, NJ and $1,888 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,625 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,282 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $202 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $76.0 in North Brunswick, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,546 in North Brunswick, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in North Brunswick, 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 North Brunswick, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, North Brunswick, 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 102% less than in North Brunswick, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.