Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hackensack, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hackensack, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,965 in Hackensack, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,732 in Hackensack, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,498 in Hackensack, NJ.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 58% less than in Hackensack, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Hackensack, NJ is 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$19.90 $19.90

-39.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$98.6 $98.6

-57.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$14.23 $14.23

-26.77%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$5.46 $5.46

-35.71%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$2.36 $2.36

-35.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.84

$1.96 $1.96

-53.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$6.93 $6.93

-56.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$8.93 $8.93

-51.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$1.34 $1.34

5.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$3.71 $3.71

-50.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$5.32 $5.32

-69.36%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$4.76 $4.76

-46.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$13.91 $13.91

-38.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$10.45 $10.45

-18.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$17.11 $17.11

-36.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.94

$4.89 $4.89

-43.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$1.78 $1.78

-19.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.83

$4.00 $4.00

-52.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$4.30 $4.30

-49.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$2.83 $2.83

-37.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$2.58 $2.58

-13.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$2.45 $2.45

-56.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$2.64 $2.64

-59.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$12.04 $12.04

-65.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$15.11 $15.11

-30.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$1.77 $1.77

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.92

$4.37 $4.37

-40.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$3.41 $3.41

-85.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

$59.2 $59.2

-56.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$3.03 $3.03

5.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$2.03 $2.03

23.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$24.19 $24.19

-86.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$0.87 $0.87

44.83%

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

$29.7K MX$516.6K

$23.5K $23.5K

26.57%

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

$23.7K MX$412.1K

$25.1K $25.1K

-5.76%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$213 $213

-61.43%

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

$22.73 MX$395

$52.9 $52.9

-57.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$58.6 $58.6

-49.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$45.11 $45.11

15.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$19.69 $19.69

-74.96%

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

$202 MX$3,511

$1,394 $1,394

-85.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$15.9K $15.9K

-67.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$50.5 $50.5

-28.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$63.0 $63.0

-35.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$85.6 $85.6

-6.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$99.9 $99.9

-10.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$1,777 $1,777

-46.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,097

$1,648 $1,648

-71.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$3,368 $3,368

-51.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$3,218 $3,218

-62.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.4K

$3,672 $3,672

7.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$3,268 $3,268

96.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$6,098 $6,098

-89.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.62

72.51%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $1,777 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays 826% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $99.0 in Hackensack, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $412 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 136% lower than in Hackensack, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 826% lower in Hackensack, 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: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,777 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,394 in Hackensack, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Hackensack, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,965 in Hackensack, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Hackensack, NJ. 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Hackensack, NJ 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 136% less than in Hackensack, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.