Cost of Living Comparison Between North East, MD and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between North East, MD and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,756 in North East, MD versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,088 in North East, MD versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,419 in North East, MD versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in North East, MD is roughly 119% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: North East, MD is 106% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.77 $24.77

$11.95 MX$208

107.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.5 $88.5

$41.94 MX$730

110.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 $11.22

$10.42 MX$181

7.68%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$3.51 MX$61.2

59.54%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$1.52 MX$26.39

89.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$0.91 MX$15.84

179.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 $8.20

$3.04 MX$52.9

169.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.15 $9.15

$4.37 MX$76.1

109.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.42 MX$24.73

-11.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.83 MX$31.87

108.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$1.63 MX$28.45

313.50%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$2.54 MX$44.20

66.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 $19.59

$8.57 MX$149

128.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.30 $15.30

$8.49 MX$148

80.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.14 $25.14

$10.80 MX$188

132.78%

Apples (1kg)

$6.85 $6.85

$2.75 MX$47.94

149.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.44 MX$25.00

27.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$1.89 MX$32.83

186.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$2.17 MX$37.77

162.67%

Potato (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$1.78 MX$30.97

139.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.22 MX$38.71

46.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.07 MX$18.60

106.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.08 MX$18.79

159.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.97 $11.97

$4.15 MX$72.2

188.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.07 $17.07

$10.45 MX$182

63.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.74 MX$30.34

13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.58 MX$44.92

26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.51 MX$8.94

296.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.21 MX$55.9

-13.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$2.50 MX$43.55

-45.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.04 $25.04

$3.19 MX$55.4

684.95%

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)

$31.3K $31.3K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

5.29%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

4.65%

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

$129 $129

$82.0 MX$1,427

57.53%

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

$44.06 $44.06

$22.73 MX$395

93.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 $70.9

$29.42 MX$512

140.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.55 $43.55

$52.2 MX$908

-16.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$14.76 $14.76

$4.93 MX$85.9

199.39%

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

$1,916 $1,916

$202 MX$3,511

849.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.1K $36.1K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

592.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 $55.9

$35.93 MX$625

55.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$40.33 MX$702

33.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 $94.2

$79.9 MX$1,390

17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$89.3 MX$1,554

29.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 $1,603

$948 MX$16.5K

68.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 $1,331

$465 MX$8,097

186.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,667 $2,667

$1,630 MX$28.4K

63.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,202 $2,202

$1,193 MX$20.8K

84.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,515 $2,515

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-36.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 $2,199

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-65.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.42

-42.64%

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

Last update for North East, MD: July 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in North East, MD and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $88.0 in North East, MD vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $513 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 East, MD vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 119% lower than in North East, MD. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,135 in North East, MD 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: $1,603 in North East, MD versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 103% higher in North East, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,756 per month in North East, MD versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 119% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,756 in North East, MD, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in North East, MD. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,259 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 119% less than in North East, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.