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: $877 in Havana versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,453 in Havana versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Havana versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Havana costs roughly 32% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Havana 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 CUP 91.4

$11.71 MX$199

-67.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 CUP 654

$46.59 MX$792

-41.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 CUP 120

$11.65 MX$198

-57.17%

Cappuccino

$1.08 CUP 26.03

$4.09 MX$69.6

-73.59%

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

$1.68 CUP 40.26

$1.37 MX$23.35

22.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CUP 24.33

$0.83 MX$14.17

21.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 CUP 37.42

$3.35 MX$57.0

-53.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 CUP 47.65

$6.91 MX$117

-71.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.79 CUP 90.9

$1.73 MX$29.35

119.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CUP 36.47

$2.26 MX$38.41

-32.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 CUP 51.4

$1.77 MX$30.07

20.90%

Eggs

$3.62 CUP 86.9

$2.73 MX$46.43

32.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 CUP 105

$9.18 MX$156

-52.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 CUP 110

$8.92 MX$152

-48.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 CUP 209

$12.60 MX$214

-30.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 CUP 142

$3.02 MX$51.3

96.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CUP 26.17

$1.57 MX$26.69

-30.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CUP 92.3

$2.13 MX$36.12

80.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 CUP 55.9

$2.26 MX$38.48

3.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 CUP 89.0

$2.00 MX$34.05

85.50%

Onion (1kg)

$4.07 CUP 97.6

$2.06 MX$35.08

97.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 CUP 19.55

$1.18 MX$20.05

-31.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CUP 33.68

$1.20 MX$20.46

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 CUP 46.68

$4.63 MX$78.8

-58.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.09 CUP 98.2

$10.69 MX$182

-61.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CUP 36.68

$1.62 MX$27.52

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 CUP 49.64

$2.88 MX$48.96

-28.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 CUP 29.63

$0.57 MX$9.74

115.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.69 CUP 545

$29.83 MX$507

-23.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 CUP 63.0

$5.45 MX$92.6

-51.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 CUP 10.47

$3.70 MX$63.0

-88.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.37 CUP 489

$5.98 MX$102

240.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CUP 29.97

$1.55 MX$26.40

-19.35%

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

$61.1K CUP 1.5M

$22.3K MX$379.4K

173.60%

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

$61.0K CUP 1.5M

$25.9K MX$441.0K

135.08%

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

$47.74 CUP 1,146

$89.1 MX$1,515

-46.44%

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

$39.30 CUP 943

$25.04 MX$426

56.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 CUP 2,179

$31.50 MX$535

188.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.09 CUP 458

$67.8 MX$1,152

-71.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 CUP 315

$28.92 MX$491

-54.60%

Cinema Ticket

$0.82 CUP 19.65

$5.05 MX$85.8

-83.76%

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

$113 CUP 2,708

$225 MX$3,823

-49.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,009 CUP 168.2K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

65.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.64 CUP 903

$47.44 MX$806

-20.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.87 CUP 885

$44.98 MX$764

-18.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 CUP 1,678

$82.0 MX$1,393

-14.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.9 CUP 1,367

$92.1 MX$1,565

-38.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 CUP 6,148

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-76.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 CUP 5,184

$405 MX$6,888

-46.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 CUP 22.8K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-50.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 CUP 12.9K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-58.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$334 CUP 8,012

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-91.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$399 CUP 9,564

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-93.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$33.40 CUP 802

$749 MX$12.7K

-95.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

11.45

-20.52%

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

Last update for Havana: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $256 in Havana and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 2142% 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: $27.00 in Havana vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $277 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 47% in total monthly costs ($877 vs $1,293 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2142% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $256 in Havana versus $1,069 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 $27.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $877 per month in Havana versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $877 in Havana versus $1,293 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 47% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.