😐A single person spends $2,644 per month in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,944 per month in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $5,243 per month in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ costs about 111% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ sits 98% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.93$14.93
$11.99MX$209
24.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.24$40.24
$41.78MX$728
-3.69%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.10$12.10
$10.75MX$187
12.56%
Cappuccino
$4.39$4.39
$3.50MX$60.9
25.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96$1.96
$1.45MX$25.22
35.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05$2.05
$0.88MX$15.41
132.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.06$6.06
$2.95MX$51.3
105.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.11$6.11
$4.51MX$78.6
35.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.13$1.13
$1.43MX$24.94
-20.98%
White Bread(500g)
$4.08$4.08
$1.84MX$31.99
121.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.64$2.64
$1.57MX$27.31
68.15%
Eggs
$3.51$3.51
$2.51MX$43.74
39.84%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.38$13.38
$8.28MX$144
61.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.72$6.72
$8.43MX$147
-20.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.45$14.45
$10.68MX$186
35.30%
Apples(1kg)
$2.70$2.70
$2.61MX$45.43
3.45%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18$1.18
$1.44MX$25.04
-18.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.67$2.67
$1.96MX$34.16
36.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.90$2.90
$2.09MX$36.47
38.76%
Potato(1kg)
$2.24$2.24
$1.85MX$32.24
21.08%
Onion(1kg)
$2.14$2.14
$2.17MX$37.74
-1.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03$1.03
$1.03MX$17.96
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49$0.49
$1.07MX$18.70
-54.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.97$10.97
$4.10MX$71.4
167.56%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.90$14.90
$10.17MX$177
46.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76$1.76
$1.68MX$29.17
4.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94$1.94
$2.53MX$43.98
-23.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.94$1.94
$0.51MX$8.87
280.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$93.4$93.4
$26.04MX$453
258.83%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.97$1.97
$3.23MX$56.3
-39.01%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.64$1.64
$2.41MX$41.88
-31.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$41.29$41.29
$3.23MX$56.2
1178.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.77$0.77
$1.32MX$23.00
-41.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K$30.0K
$29.7KMX$517.1K
1.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K$25.3K
$23.7KMX$412.0K
7.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$178$178
$82.0MX$1,428
116.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.16$45.16
$22.95MX$400
96.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.62$40.62
$30.11MX$524
34.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.66$43.66
$52.0MX$905
-15.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.53MX$323
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.16$12.16
$4.98MX$86.6
144.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,880$1,880
$197MX$3,438
852.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$40.8K$40.8K
$5,336MX$92.9K
664.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.69$32.69
$35.60MX$620
-8.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.36$47.36
$40.33MX$702
17.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.0$95.0
$78.8MX$1,371
20.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133$133
$88.9MX$1,549
49.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,865$1,865
$947MX$16.5K
96.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,514$1,514
$474MX$8,254
219.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,198$3,198
$1,644MX$28.6K
94.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,800$2,800
$1,211MX$21.1K
131.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,033$3,033
$4,056MX$70.6K
-25.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,516$2,516
$6,470MX$112.7K
-61.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$7,326$7,326
$654MX$11.4K
1020.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.35
11.42
-44.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ: July 14, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,865 in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ versus $947 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.
💰Salaries run about 1020% higher in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ?
Yes – Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ is pricier by about 111%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,966 per month in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 259% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,880 per month in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ at $2,644. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ vs other spots: cost of living compared