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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,312 in Haverhill versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,423 in Haverhill versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,534 in Haverhill versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Haverhill is roughly 84% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Haverhill is 73% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Haverhill
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.60 £15.34
$11.99 MX$209
71.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.2 £60.4
$41.78 MX$728
94.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.95 £7.40
$10.75 MX$187
-7.44%
Cappuccino
$4.69 £3.49
$3.50 MX$60.9
34.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 £1.70
$1.45 MX$25.22
57.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 £1.20
$0.88 MX$15.41
82.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.35 £4.73
$2.95 MX$51.3
115.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.10 £4.54
$4.51 MX$78.6
35.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Haverhill
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 £1.21
$1.43 MX$24.94
13.99%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 £1.19
$1.84 MX$31.99
-12.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 £1.70
$1.57 MX$27.31
45.22%
Eggs
$3.80 £2.83
$2.51 MX$43.74
51.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.11 £7.53
$8.28 MX$144
22.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.00 £6.70
$8.43 MX$147
6.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.91 £10.35
$10.68 MX$186
30.24%
Apples (1kg)
$3.03 £2.26
$2.61 MX$45.43
16.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 £1.17
$1.44 MX$25.04
9.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 £2.16
$1.96 MX$34.16
47.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.55 £2.64
$2.09 MX$36.47
69.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.69 £1.26
$1.85 MX$32.24
-8.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.47 £1.09
$2.17 MX$37.74
-32.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 £0.79
$1.03 MX$17.96
2.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 £1.12
$1.07 MX$18.70
41.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.87 £14.05
$4.10 MX$71.4
360.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.28 £8.40
$10.17 MX$177
10.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.68 £2.00
$1.68 MX$29.17
59.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 £2.41
$2.53 MX$43.98
27.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Haverhill
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.27 £2.43
$0.51 MX$8.87
541.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.0 £66.3
$26.04 MX$453
241.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.56 £4.14
$3.23 MX$56.3
72.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 £1.15
$2.41 MX$41.88
-36.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.98 £17.11
$3.23 MX$56.2
611.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.97 £1.46
$1.32 MX$23.00
49.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8K £28.2K
$29.7K MX$517.1K
27.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.4K £30.1K
$23.7K MX$412.0K
70.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Haverhill
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$295 £219
$82.0 MX$1,428
259.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.91 £12.59
$22.95 MX$400
-26.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.76 £31.83
$30.11 MX$524
42.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Haverhill
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.07 £34.30
$52.0 MX$905
-11.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.15 £9.04
$18.53 MX$323
-34.43%
Cinema Ticket
$13.61 £10.14
$4.98 MX$86.6
173.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Haverhill
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,624 £1,209
$197 MX$3,438
722.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.0K £13.4K
$5,336 MX$92.9K
238.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Haverhill
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.9 £61.7
$35.60 MX$620
132.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.03 £32.78
$40.33 MX$702
9.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 £69.6
$78.8 MX$1,371
18.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.4 £74.0
$88.9 MX$1,549
11.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Haverhill
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,200 £893
$947 MX$16.5K
26.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$987 £735
$474 MX$8,254
108.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,999 £1,489
$1,644 MX$28.6K
21.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,716 £1,277
$1,211 MX$21.1K
41.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,551 £4,133
$4,056 MX$70.6K
36.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,470 MX$112.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Haverhill
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,125 £1,582
$654 MX$11.4K
224.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.63
11.42
-50.70%

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

Last update for Haverhill: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,200 in Haverhill and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Haverhill pays 225% 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: $81.0 in Haverhill vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $249 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
Haverhill vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Haverhill or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 84% lower than in Haverhill. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Haverhill or in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 225% higher in Haverhill, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Haverhill compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,200 in Haverhill versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Haverhill compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,312 per month in Haverhill versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Haverhill compared to Playa del Carmen?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 242% less than in Haverhill. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Haverhill or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,312 in Haverhill, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Haverhill. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Haverhill or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,256 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Haverhill compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Haverhill and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Haverhill. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Haverhill vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities