Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Jefferson Station, NY and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $2,819 in Port Jefferson Station, NY, rent and utilities included – about $19,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Port Jefferson Station, NY, United States
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Port Jefferson Station, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,819
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port Jefferson Station, NY and in Playa del Carmen

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

A single person spends $2,819 per month in Port Jefferson Station, NY vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Port Jefferson Station, NY $2,819
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $4,254 per month in Port Jefferson Station, NY vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Port Jefferson Station, NY $4,254
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $5,689 per month in Port Jefferson Station, NY vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Port Jefferson Station, NY $5,689
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Port Jefferson Station, NY costs about 134% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Port Jefferson Station, NY sits 109% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.26 $25.26
$10.67 MX$198
136.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.2 $99.2
$43.80 MX$815
126.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.08 $8.08
$11.79 MX$219
-31.47%
Cappuccino
$4.93 $4.93
$3.79 MX$70.4
30.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.30 MX$24.12
66.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 $1.54
$0.83 MX$15.50
85.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.87 $7.87
$3.15 MX$58.5
149.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.07 $8.07
$4.93 MX$91.8
63.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.41 MX$26.20
-10.64%
White Bread (500g)
$4.30 $4.30
$2.20 MX$40.83
95.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.40 $7.40
$1.47 MX$27.39
403.40%
Eggs
$5.96 $5.96
$2.50 MX$46.43
138.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.60 $12.60
$7.29 MX$136
72.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.77 $15.77
$7.95 MX$148
98.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.25 $17.25
$12.86 MX$239
34.14%
Apples (1kg)
$5.32 $5.32
$2.90 MX$53.9
83.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.38 MX$25.73
23.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.18 $6.18
$2.49 MX$46.32
148.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.10 $6.10
$2.03 MX$37.75
200.49%
Potato (1kg)
$5.40 $5.40
$2.02 MX$37.66
167.33%
Onion (1kg)
$3.79 $3.79
$1.90 MX$35.40
99.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.14 MX$21.28
156.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.81 $2.81
$1.24 MX$23.04
126.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.71 $11.71
$4.27 MX$79.4
174.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.78 $24.78
$9.81 MX$183
152.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 $1.74
$1.59 MX$29.49
9.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.37 $5.37
$2.75 MX$51.1
95.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.76 $1.76
$0.51 MX$9.58
245.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 $56.7
$27.39 MX$509
106.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 $3.06
$4.76 MX$88.6
-35.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.03 $2.03
$3.25 MX$60.4
-37.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.19 $24.19
$5.39 MX$100
348.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.53 MX$28.42
-27.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K $27.6K
$21.2K MX$394.5K
29.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$23.3K MX$432.6K
14.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$204 $204
$83.5 MX$1,553
143.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$73.4 $73.4
$23.19 MX$431
216.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.0 $64.0
$27.61 MX$514
131.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.65 $39.65
$56.4 MX$1,050
-29.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.19 MX$524
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.23 $14.23
$5.00 MX$93.0
184.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,478 $2,478
$207 MX$3,851
1096.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$34.7K $34.7K
$5,231 MX$97.3K
562.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.92 $40.92
$43.45 MX$808
-5.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 $57.1
$42.54 MX$791
34.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.1 $75.1
$72.8 MX$1,353
3.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$155 $155
$88.4 MX$1,644
75.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,780 $1,780
$995 MX$18.5K
78.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 $1,322
$382 MX$7,112
245.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,824 $2,824
$1,674 MX$31.1K
68.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,278 $2,278
$1,081 MX$20.1K
110.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,965 $2,965
$3,909 MX$72.7K
-24.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,093 $2,093
$6,138 MX$114.1K
-65.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$832 MX$15.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.92
11.45
-39.56%

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

Last update for Port Jefferson Station, NY: November 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Port Jefferson Station, NY
$1.3K
Playa del Carmen
$382 71.1% $940
Groceries & Markets
Port Jefferson Station, NY
$508
Playa del Carmen
$257 49.3% $250
Eating Out
Port Jefferson Station, NY
$356
Playa del Carmen
$200 43.7% $155
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Jefferson Station, NY
$341
Playa del Carmen
$134 60.6% $207
Clothing & Footwear
Port Jefferson Station, NY
$148
Playa del Carmen
$111 24.7% $36
Getting Around
Port Jefferson Station, NY
$77
Playa del Carmen
$50 34.4% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Port Jefferson Station, NY
$68
Playa del Carmen
$66 2.5% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,780 in Port Jefferson Station, NY versus $995 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Port Jefferson Station, NY versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $508 vs $257 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Port Jefferson Station, NY
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
17:18 5:18 PM
17:18 5:18 PM
Same time as Port Jefferson Station, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,000
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.897 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 18.6 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.72 MXN (100 MXN = 4.83 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Port Jefferson Station, NY Playa del Carmen 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Port Jefferson Station, NY
  • Playa del Carmen

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
Port Jefferson Station, NY vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Port Jefferson Station, NY?
Yes – Port Jefferson Station, NY is pricier by about 134%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,229 per month in Port Jefferson Station, NY and $1,804 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $995 there versus $1,780 in Port Jefferson Station, NY.
What are total monthly expenses in Port Jefferson Station, NY and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,819 in Port Jefferson Station, NY and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 57% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 52% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Port Jefferson Station, NY or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Port Jefferson Station, NY at $2,819. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Jefferson Station, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Port Jefferson Station, NY 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Playa del Carmen is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 57% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Port Jefferson Station, NY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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