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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,065 in Higuey versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,464 in Higuey versus $3,082 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 DOP 274

$11.94 MX$209

-61.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.62 DOP 1,691

$42.75 MX$748

-33.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 DOP 306

$10.59 MX$185

-51.09%

Cappuccino

$2.21 DOP 131

$3.62 MX$63.4

-38.95%

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

$0.49 DOP 28.96

$1.47 MX$25.69

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 DOP 25.89

$0.94 MX$16.51

-53.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DOP 113

$3.09 MX$54.1

-37.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 DOP 176

$4.46 MX$78.0

-33.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 DOP 58.8

$1.43 MX$24.94

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 DOP 61.8

$1.88 MX$32.97

-44.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 DOP 50.9

$1.63 MX$28.50

-47.24%

Eggs

$1.53 DOP 90.4

$2.64 MX$46.26

-42.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.50 DOP 148

$8.21 MX$144

-69.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 DOP 204

$8.29 MX$145

-58.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.19 DOP 307

$11.10 MX$194

-53.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 DOP 188

$2.65 MX$46.40

20.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 DOP 50.3

$1.50 MX$26.26

-43.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 DOP 179

$1.99 MX$34.79

52.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 DOP 114

$2.08 MX$36.33

-7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 54.5

$1.79 MX$31.29

-48.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 DOP 142

$2.18 MX$38.09

10.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 66.9

$1.08 MX$18.84

4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 DOP 48.09

$1.04 MX$18.15

-22.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 DOP 253

$3.97 MX$69.5

7.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.42 DOP 675

$10.20 MX$179

11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 DOP 98.9

$1.73 MX$30.22

-3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 DOP 152

$2.50 MX$43.71

2.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 DOP 59.1

$0.52 MX$9.07

92.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 DOP 204

$3.14 MX$55.0

10.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 DOP 130

$2.40 MX$42.04

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 DOP 357

$3.09 MX$54.0

95.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 DOP 74.6

$1.27 MX$22.28

-0.79%

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

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-13.37%

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

$32.2K DOP 1.9M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

38.22%

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

$51.6 DOP 3,047

$82.0 MX$1,435

-37.12%

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

$24.97 DOP 1,476

$22.45 MX$393

11.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.69 DOP 1,577

$29.66 MX$519

-10.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.15 DOP 836

$51.9 MX$908

-72.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 DOP 249

$4.97 MX$87.0

-15.09%

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

$264 DOP 15.6K

$198 MX$3,462

33.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,942 DOP 469.3K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

50.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 DOP 3,591

$36.34 MX$636

67.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 DOP 3,027

$40.05 MX$701

27.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 DOP 5,669

$79.9 MX$1,398

20.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,799

$88.9 MX$1,555

29.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$163 DOP 9,610

$963 MX$16.9K

-83.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DOP 6,432

$465 MX$8,133

-76.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 DOP 16.7K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-82.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 DOP 12.5K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-82.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $163 in Higuey and $963 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 $171 vs $251 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 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,000 in Higuey and $1,930 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: $163 in Higuey versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,287 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 93% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.