Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bergen County, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $4,323 in Bergen County, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $37,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
208

Cost of Living Index in Bergen County, NJ
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Bergen County, NJ Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Bergen County, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$4,323

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Bergen County, NJ

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Bergen County, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,323 in Bergen County, NJ.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Bergen County, NJ $4,323

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,463 in Bergen County, NJ.

Playa del Carmen $2,102
Bergen County, NJ $5,463

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,603 in Bergen County, NJ.

Playa del Carmen $3,000
Bergen County, NJ $6,603

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 72% less than in Bergen County, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 11% below, Bergen County, NJ is 219% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 MX$201

$22.48 $22.48

-51.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.21 MX$817

$85.3 $85.3

-48.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 MX$217

$12.83 $12.83

-8.34%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.0

$5.13 $5.13

-28.27%

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

$1.34 MX$24.79

$3.07 $3.07

-56.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$15.24

$2.23 $2.23

-63.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 MX$56.6

$8.19 $8.19

-62.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 MX$91.2

$8.09 $8.09

-38.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$27.17

$1.45 $1.45

1.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$40.95

$4.37 $4.37

-49.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MX$27.32

$7.59 $7.59

-80.50%

Eggs

$2.49 MX$45.99

$5.07 $5.07

-50.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 MX$139

$12.66 $12.66

-40.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 MX$147

$11.91 $11.91

-33.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 MX$232

$17.75 $17.75

-29.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.3

$5.25 $5.25

-47.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MX$26.37

$1.54 $1.54

-7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MX$48.37

$5.10 $5.10

-48.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$39.49

$5.05 $5.05

-57.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.38

$2.73 $2.73

-26.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.74

$3.05 $3.05

-34.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.01

$2.38 $2.38

-52.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$22.18

$2.39 $2.39

-49.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MX$78.7

$11.90 $11.90

-64.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 MX$185

$24.56 $24.56

-59.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$28.41

$1.72 $1.72

-10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$49.17

$4.46 $4.46

-40.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MX$9.73

$4.17 $4.17

-87.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.51 MX$508

$169 $169

-83.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 MX$90.6

$2.64 $2.64

85.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 MX$63.5

$1.53 $1.53

124.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 MX$99.4

$24.11 $24.11

-77.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$26.76

$1.06 $1.06

36.79%

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

$21.2K MX$391.0K

$28.0K $28.0K

-24.49%

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

$23.0K MX$425.3K

$25.9K $25.9K

-11.07%

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

$85.4 MX$1,577

$211 $211

-59.46%

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

$23.46 MX$434

$73.5 $73.5

-68.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.43 MX$525

$64.7 $64.7

-56.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 MX$1,149

$98.2 $98.2

-36.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.68 MX$530

$49.53 $49.53

-42.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MX$94.3

$15.26 $15.26

-66.58%

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

$201 MX$3,715

$2,285 $2,285

-91.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,947 MX$72.9K

$24.1K $24.1K

-83.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.39 MX$820

$48.52 $48.52

-8.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.35 MX$764

$46.34 $46.34

-10.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 MX$1,344

$79.9 $79.9

-8.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 MX$1,656

$153 $153

-41.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 MX$18.1K

$2,786 $2,786

-64.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MX$6,887

$2,685 $2,685

-86.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 MX$31.1K

$4,541 $4,541

-62.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 MX$20.2K

$2,963 $2,963

-63.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,949 MX$73.0K

$3,928 $3,928

0.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,137 MX$113.4K

$3,697 $3,697

66.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$738 MX$13.6K

$5,356 $5,356

-86.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.62

72.96%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$373 31%

Bergen County, NJ

$2.7K 62.1% 620% $2.3K

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5%

Bergen County, NJ

$460 10.6% 77.9% $201

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6%

Bergen County, NJ

$358 8.3% 78.9% $158

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Bergen County, NJ

$349 8.1% 154% $212

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Bergen County, NJ

$147 3.4% 32% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$72 6%

Bergen County, NJ

$129 3% 77.8% $56

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3%

Bergen County, NJ

$196 4.5% 279% $144

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $979 in Playa del Carmen and $2,786 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ pays 626% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $44.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $85.0 in Bergen County, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $460 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 Bergen County, NJ

🕒 Local time

23:47 11:47 PM

00:47 12:47 AM

1 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

11,668

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Playa del Carmen Bergen County, NJ 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Bergen County, NJ

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Playa del Carmen vs Bergen County, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Bergen County, NJ differ by about 259% in total monthly costs ($1,204 vs $4,323 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 626% lower in Bergen County, NJ. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,786 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $85.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $4,323 in Bergen County, NJ – a 259% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,323 in Bergen County, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bergen County, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 259% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.