Cost of Living Comparison Between Havana and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Havana and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $964 in Havana versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,538 in Havana versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,112 in Havana versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Havana costs roughly 26% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Havana 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 CUP 89.0

$11.73 MX$203

-68.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.74 CUP 714

$41.62 MX$720

-28.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 CUP 155

$10.64 MX$184

-39.19%

Cappuccino

$1.24 CUP 29.75

$3.52 MX$60.9

-64.77%

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

$2.22 CUP 53.4

$1.51 MX$26.12

47.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CUP 36.56

$0.97 MX$16.84

56.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 CUP 48.25

$2.95 MX$51.0

-31.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 CUP 59.1

$4.45 MX$77.0

-44.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.36 CUP 80.7

$1.38 MX$23.93

143.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 CUP 25.70

$1.89 MX$32.72

-43.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 CUP 56.4

$1.64 MX$28.32

43.29%

Eggs

$3.56 CUP 85.5

$2.51 MX$43.34

41.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.93 CUP 118

$8.34 MX$144

-40.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 CUP 127

$8.34 MX$144

-36.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 CUP 229

$10.73 MX$186

-10.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 CUP 121

$2.60 MX$45.04

93.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CUP 33.13

$1.46 MX$25.20

-5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 CUP 58.2

$1.90 MX$32.87

27.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 CUP 40.54

$2.08 MX$35.91

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 CUP 67.4

$1.78 MX$30.71

57.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 CUP 66.5

$2.19 MX$37.80

26.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.57

$1.04 MX$17.99

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CUP 27.35

$1.08 MX$18.62

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 CUP 93.6

$4.08 MX$70.6

-4.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.97 CUP 95.3

$10.32 MX$178

-61.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 CUP 50.2

$1.71 MX$29.61

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 CUP 46.22

$2.58 MX$44.54

-25.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 CUP 30.74

$0.51 MX$8.81

150.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.77 CUP 595

$26.46 MX$458

-6.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CUP 75.0

$3.26 MX$56.4

-3.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 CUP 11.53

$2.49 MX$43.09

-80.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.13 CUP 363

$3.25 MX$56.2

365.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CUP 30.30

$1.31 MX$22.61

-3.82%

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

$60.5K CUP 1.5M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

99.64%

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

$66.9K CUP 1.6M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

185.45%

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

$37.68 CUP 904

$82.9 MX$1,433

-54.53%

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

$40.35 CUP 968

$22.22 MX$384

81.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 CUP 1,782

$29.34 MX$507

153.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.12 CUP 963

$51.6 MX$893

-22.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 CUP 147

$18.32 MX$317

-66.59%

Cinema Ticket

$0.88 CUP 21.16

$5.07 MX$87.6

-82.64%

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

$114 CUP 2,741

$201 MX$3,473

-43.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K CUP 242.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

93.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.14 CUP 963

$36.92 MX$639

8.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 CUP 808

$39.79 MX$688

-15.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 CUP 1,802

$78.5 MX$1,357

-4.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 CUP 2,027

$87.1 MX$1,506

-3.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 CUP 8,905

$973 MX$16.8K

-61.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 CUP 6,982

$468 MX$8,090

-37.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 CUP 24.3K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-38.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 CUP 14.3K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-51.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$335 CUP 8,037

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-91.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$406 CUP 9,742

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-93.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$33.02 CUP 792

$664 MX$11.5K

-95.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

11.42

-34.94%

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

Last update for Havana: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Havana and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 1911% 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: $30.00 in Havana vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $249 per month, with Havana cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Havana vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Havana and Playa del Carmen differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($964 vs $1,297 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 1911% less. 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: $371 in Havana versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $964 per month in Havana versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $964 in Havana versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Havana but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Havana 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 Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.