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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $666 in Higuey versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,063 in Higuey versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,461 in Higuey versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 48% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Higuey 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 DOP 270

$11.87 MX$204

-61.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.81 DOP 1,687

$42.90 MX$736

-32.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 DOP 293

$10.65 MX$183

-53.05%

Cappuccino

$2.24 DOP 131

$3.45 MX$59.2

-35.07%

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

$0.49 DOP 28.71

$1.50 MX$25.81

-67.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 DOP 25.31

$0.95 MX$16.28

-54.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 DOP 110

$3.03 MX$51.9

-37.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 DOP 171

$4.61 MX$79.1

-36.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 DOP 61.2

$1.38 MX$23.61

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 DOP 61.8

$1.85 MX$31.70

-42.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.48

$1.61 MX$27.65

-49.69%

Eggs

$1.51 DOP 88.5

$2.59 MX$44.51

-41.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.51 DOP 147

$8.26 MX$142

-69.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 DOP 196

$8.37 MX$144

-60.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 DOP 292

$10.66 MX$183

-53.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 186

$2.63 MX$45.12

20.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 DOP 49.76

$1.49 MX$25.53

-42.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 DOP 177

$1.92 MX$32.94

57.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 DOP 113

$2.09 MX$35.81

-7.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 DOP 52.8

$1.86 MX$31.88

-51.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 DOP 139

$2.26 MX$38.81

5.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.6

$1.06 MX$18.23

2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 DOP 51.1

$1.09 MX$18.67

-20.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 DOP 246

$4.15 MX$71.2

1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.75 DOP 630

$10.39 MX$178

3.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 DOP 102

$1.72 MX$29.59

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 154

$2.61 MX$44.85

0.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 DOP 60.9

$0.54 MX$9.30

92.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 DOP 202

$3.13 MX$53.7

10.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 DOP 128

$2.51 MX$43.09

-12.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 DOP 340

$3.15 MX$54.1

84.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 DOP 74.8

$1.27 MX$21.88

0.79%

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

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-11.19%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

33.79%

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

$51.2 DOP 2,996

$83.0 MX$1,425

-38.37%

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

$25.39 DOP 1,487

$22.71 MX$390

11.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 DOP 1,535

$29.46 MX$506

-11.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.60 DOP 855

$51.0 MX$875

-71.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 DOP 247

$4.93 MX$84.5

-14.40%

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

$268 DOP 15.7K

$197 MX$3,386

35.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,089 DOP 473.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

53.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 DOP 3,507

$36.90 MX$633

62.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 DOP 2,986

$39.89 MX$685

27.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 DOP 5,650

$80.0 MX$1,373

20.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,809

$89.5 MX$1,536

29.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 DOP 9,295

$956 MX$16.4K

-83.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DOP 6,370

$477 MX$8,189

-77.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 DOP 16.5K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-82.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 DOP 12.5K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-82.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.25

11.42

7.27%

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

Last update for Higuey: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $159 in Higuey and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Higuey vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $250 per month, with Higuey 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

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

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $999 in Higuey and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $159 in Higuey versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $666 per month in Higuey versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Higuey but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Higuey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Higuey is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Higuey 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.

Expats usually find Higuey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.