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: $2,582 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,782 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,981 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in North Brunswick, NJ is roughly 105% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: North Brunswick, NJ is 93% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.18 $19.18

$11.67 MX$202

64.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 $73.8

$41.88 MX$726

76.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 $10.91

$10.40 MX$180

4.90%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$3.61 MX$62.6

37.40%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$1.47 MX$25.45

68.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.91 MX$15.80

125.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$3.03 MX$52.6

93.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 $7.11

$4.47 MX$77.4

59.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.38 MX$23.83

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.84 MX$31.93

95.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.61 MX$27.82

165.22%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$2.57 MX$44.52

59.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 $12.08

$8.49 MX$147

42.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$8.49 MX$147

33.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$10.99 MX$190

42.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.73 MX$47.25

82.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.50 MX$25.92

5.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.96 MX$33.93

114.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.12 MX$36.70

119.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.86 MX$32.30

53.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.17 MX$37.67

28.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.07 MX$18.59

90.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.05 MX$18.18

100.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.69 $9.69

$4.19 MX$72.6

131.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.45 $15.45

$10.28 MX$178

50.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.67 MX$28.87

5.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.49 MX$43.12

31.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.54 MX$9.37

259.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.10 MX$53.8

9.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.46 MX$42.66

-32.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 $29.65

$3.24 MX$56.1

815.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.26 MX$21.83

-27.78%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-2.87%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

9.28%

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

$191 $191

$84.0 MX$1,456

127.15%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$22.21 MX$385

134.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 $68.6

$29.65 MX$514

131.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.22 $43.22

$52.6 MX$912

-17.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 $13.73

$4.95 MX$85.7

177.37%

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

$1,310 $1,310

$198 MX$3,438

560.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

339.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$35.95 MX$623

40.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.23 $40.23

$40.06 MX$694

0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 $86.1

$78.8 MX$1,365

9.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$86.5 MX$1,499

28.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 $1,630

$977 MX$16.9K

66.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 $1,365

$471 MX$8,158

189.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,645 $2,645

$1,595 MX$27.6K

65.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 $2,259

$1,215 MX$21.1K

85.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,635 $2,635

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-34.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 $2,492

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-62.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,630 in North Brunswick, NJ and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74 in North Brunswick, NJ vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 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 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,874 in North Brunswick, NJ and $1,891 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: $1,630 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,310 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $198 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 $74.0 in North Brunswick, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,582 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 105% less than in North Brunswick, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.