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: $976 in Havana versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,540 in Havana versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,104 in Havana versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Havana costs roughly 22% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Havana 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 CUP 89.0

$11.99 MX$210

-69.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 CUP 708

$41.78 MX$731

-29.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 CUP 160

$10.75 MX$188

-37.95%

Cappuccino

$1.18 CUP 28.38

$3.50 MX$61.1

-66.29%

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

$2.26 CUP 54.1

$1.45 MX$25.33

55.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CUP 35.04

$0.88 MX$15.47

65.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 CUP 49.10

$2.95 MX$51.6

-30.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 CUP 61.3

$4.51 MX$78.9

-43.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 CUP 78.5

$1.43 MX$25.04

128.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 CUP 25.16

$1.84 MX$32.13

-42.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 CUP 57.9

$1.57 MX$27.42

53.50%

Eggs

$3.64 CUP 87.4

$2.51 MX$43.92

45.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.05 CUP 121

$8.28 MX$145

-39.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 CUP 127

$8.43 MX$147

-37.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 CUP 228

$10.68 MX$187

-11.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 CUP 117

$2.61 MX$45.62

87.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CUP 32.72

$1.44 MX$25.15

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 CUP 61.0

$1.96 MX$34.31

29.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 CUP 41.33

$2.09 MX$36.62

-17.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 CUP 67.9

$1.85 MX$32.37

52.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 CUP 69.6

$2.17 MX$37.90

33.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 CUP 23.55

$1.03 MX$18.04

-4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CUP 27.18

$1.07 MX$18.78

5.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 CUP 97.9

$4.10 MX$71.7

-0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.04 CUP 97.0

$10.17 MX$178

-60.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CUP 48.41

$1.68 MX$29.29

20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 CUP 47.96

$2.53 MX$44.17

-20.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 CUP 30.46

$0.51 MX$8.90

149.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.17 CUP 604

$26.04 MX$455

-3.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CUP 75.5

$3.23 MX$56.5

-2.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 CUP 12.34

$2.41 MX$42.06

-78.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.87 CUP 357

$3.23 MX$56.5

360.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CUP 29.36

$1.32 MX$23.10

-7.58%

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

$58.8K CUP 1.4M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

98.08%

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

$67.6K CUP 1.6M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

185.47%

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

$37.01 CUP 888

$82.0 MX$1,434

-54.87%

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

$40.52 CUP 972

$22.95 MX$401

76.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 CUP 1,827

$30.11 MX$527

152.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.10 CUP 986

$52.0 MX$909

-20.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 CUP 145

$18.53 MX$324

-67.30%

Cinema Ticket

$0.82 CUP 19.68

$4.98 MX$87.0

-83.53%

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

$111 CUP 2,666

$197 MX$3,452

-43.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K CUP 240.3K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

87.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.17 CUP 940

$35.60 MX$622

10.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.79 CUP 811

$40.33 MX$705

-16.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 CUP 1,818

$78.8 MX$1,377

-3.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 CUP 2,023

$88.9 MX$1,555

-5.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 CUP 8,750

$947 MX$16.6K

-61.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 CUP 6,893

$474 MX$8,288

-39.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,040 CUP 25.0K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-36.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 CUP 14.4K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-50.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$327 CUP 7,853

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-91.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$405 CUP 9,718

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-93.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$31.89 CUP 765

$654 MX$11.4K

-95.12%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Havana and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 1950% 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 29% in total monthly costs ($976 vs $1,256 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1950% 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: $365 in Havana versus $947 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 $976 per month in Havana versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $976 in Havana versus $1,256 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 29% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.