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: $2,702 in North East, MD versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,032 in North East, MD versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,361 in North East, MD versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in North East, MD is roughly 109% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: North East, MD is 97% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.85 $14.85

$11.71 MX$198

26.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$46.59 MX$786

62.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$11.65 MX$197

4.64%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$4.09 MX$69.1

44.25%

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

$2.32 $2.32

$1.37 MX$23.20

69.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.83 MX$14.07

144.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.16 $7.16

$3.35 MX$56.6

113.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$6.91 MX$117

-33.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.73 MX$29.15

-23.12%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.26 MX$38.15

80.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.20 $7.20

$1.77 MX$29.86

306.78%

Eggs

$5.85 $5.85

$2.73 MX$46.12

114.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$9.18 MX$155

89.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.77 $17.77

$8.92 MX$151

99.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 $19.01

$12.60 MX$213

50.87%

Apples (1kg)

$6.84 $6.84

$3.02 MX$51.0

126.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.57 MX$26.51

52.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.13 MX$35.88

131.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$2.26 MX$38.22

169.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.00 MX$33.82

43.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.06 MX$34.85

83.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.18 MX$19.91

125.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.20 MX$20.32

122.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 $13.85

$4.63 MX$78.2

199.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.25 $16.25

$10.69 MX$180

52.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.62 MX$27.33

97.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.88 MX$48.63

102.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.57 MX$9.68

287.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$5.45 MX$91.9

-27.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$3.70 MX$62.5

-55.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.50 $25.50

$5.98 MX$101

326.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.55 MX$26.22

-33.55%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

59.71%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

0.72%

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

$204 $204

$89.1 MX$1,504

128.32%

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

$80.3 $80.3

$25.04 MX$423

220.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 $76.4

$31.50 MX$532

142.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.47 $43.47

$67.8 MX$1,144

-35.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$17.93 $17.93

$5.05 MX$85.2

255.05%

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

$1,416 $1,416

$225 MX$3,797

529.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.2K $41.2K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

876.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.7 $74.7

$47.44 MX$801

57.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.69 $43.69

$44.98 MX$759

-2.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$82.0 MX$1,384

23.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$92.1 MX$1,555

49.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 $1,376

$1,069 MX$18.0K

28.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 $1,210

$405 MX$6,842

198.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,192 $2,192

$1,935 MX$32.7K

13.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,082 $2,082

$1,301 MX$22.0K

59.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,901 $2,901

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-27.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,728 $2,728

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-58.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

11.45

-45.59%

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

Last update for North East, MD: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,376 in North East, MD and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in North East, MD vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $522 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

North East, MD vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 109% 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 $4,053 in North East, MD and $1,940 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: $1,376 in North East, MD versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in North East, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,702 per month in North East, MD versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,702 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 $1,293 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 109% less than in North East, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.