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: $662 in Higuey versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,052 in Higuey versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,443 in Higuey versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 47% 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

$4.77 DOP 277

$11.72 MX$203

-59.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.42 DOP 1,651

$41.89 MX$725

-32.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 DOP 298

$10.51 MX$182

-51.28%

Cappuccino

$2.21 DOP 128

$3.59 MX$62.0

-38.44%

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

$0.46 DOP 26.61

$1.51 MX$26.10

-69.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 DOP 23.44

$0.92 MX$15.83

-56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DOP 111

$2.96 MX$51.2

-35.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 DOP 175

$4.41 MX$76.3

-31.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 DOP 60.7

$1.40 MX$24.16

-25.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 DOP 58.4

$1.88 MX$32.60

-46.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 50.5

$1.56 MX$26.97

-44.23%

Eggs

$1.51 DOP 87.7

$2.61 MX$45.14

-42.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.62 DOP 152

$8.32 MX$144

-68.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 DOP 200

$8.35 MX$145

-58.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.97 DOP 289

$10.86 MX$188

-54.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 DOP 185

$2.71 MX$46.93

17.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 50.7

$1.51 MX$26.04

-42.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 DOP 173

$1.87 MX$32.41

59.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 117

$2.19 MX$37.89

-8.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 DOP 52.8

$1.86 MX$32.14

-51.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 DOP 133

$2.23 MX$38.59

2.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 DOP 63.7

$1.07 MX$18.48

2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 48.74

$1.09 MX$18.79

-22.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 DOP 244

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 DOP 630

$10.43 MX$180

3.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 DOP 99.9

$1.66 MX$28.68

3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 DOP 144

$2.61 MX$45.19

-4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 DOP 60.8

$0.54 MX$9.37

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 DOP 203

$3.08 MX$53.3

13.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 DOP 123

$2.40 MX$41.61

-11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 DOP 350

$3.13 MX$54.1

92.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 DOP 76.3

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-12.20%

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

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

35.44%

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

$50.8 DOP 2,952

$81.3 MX$1,406

-37.51%

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

$25.82 DOP 1,501

$22.56 MX$390

14.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.03 DOP 1,512

$30.05 MX$520

-13.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.20 DOP 825

$52.9 MX$915

-73.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 DOP 251

$4.92 MX$85.1

-12.40%

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

$262 DOP 15.2K

$201 MX$3,474

30.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,077 DOP 469.3K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

56.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 DOP 3,467

$35.92 MX$622

66.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 DOP 3,042

$40.13 MX$694

30.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 DOP 5,652

$79.7 MX$1,379

22.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,749

$86.5 MX$1,496

34.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 DOP 9,210

$978 MX$16.9K

-83.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DOP 6,360

$470 MX$8,140

-76.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 DOP 16.0K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-83.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 DOP 12.1K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-82.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 DOP 113.2K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-50.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,284 DOP 74.6K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-80.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 DOP 27.1K

$677 MX$11.7K

-31.18%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Higuey and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 45% 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: $28.00 in Higuey vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $252 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 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 45% 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: $158 in Higuey versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $662 per month in Higuey versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $662 in Higuey versus $1,260 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 90% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.