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: $931 in Higuey versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,524 in Higuey versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,116 in Higuey versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 26% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Higuey 32% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 DOP 588

$11.60 MX$199

-13.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 DOP 2,982

$47.11 MX$809

7.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 DOP 472

$11.88 MX$204

-32.66%

Cappuccino

$2.09 DOP 123

$3.98 MX$68.2

-47.49%

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

$1.08 DOP 63.9

$1.43 MX$24.49

-24.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 DOP 28.94

$0.82 MX$14.16

-40.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 DOP 151

$3.19 MX$54.7

-19.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 DOP 212

$6.79 MX$117

-46.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 75.9

$1.68 MX$28.76

-23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 DOP 92.0

$2.20 MX$37.71

-29.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 DOP 83.6

$1.71 MX$29.32

-16.96%

Eggs

$2.00 DOP 118

$2.74 MX$47.05

-27.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 DOP 445

$9.58 MX$164

-21.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 DOP 325

$9.01 MX$155

-38.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.84 DOP 403

$12.81 MX$220

-46.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 DOP 177

$2.89 MX$49.58

4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 DOP 46.56

$1.50 MX$25.70

-47.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 DOP 88.6

$2.15 MX$36.87

-30.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 DOP 80.9

$2.26 MX$38.79

-39.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 DOP 70.8

$1.98 MX$34.00

-39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 DOP 71.2

$1.99 MX$34.15

-39.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 DOP 33.51

$1.23 MX$21.18

-53.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 DOP 31.07

$1.20 MX$20.54

-55.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 DOP 319

$4.55 MX$78.1

19.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 DOP 613

$10.37 MX$178

0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 DOP 152

$1.62 MX$27.79

59.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 DOP 174

$2.88 MX$49.44

2.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 DOP 49.09

$0.60 MX$10.30

38.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 DOP 3,032

$28.80 MX$494

78.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 DOP 198

$5.39 MX$92.5

-37.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 DOP 138

$3.73 MX$64.0

-37.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 DOP 343

$5.77 MX$99.0

1.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 DOP 81.0

$1.54 MX$26.37

-11.04%

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

$23.8K DOP 1.4M

$22.5K MX$387.0K

5.40%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

$26.1K MX$447.3K

20.80%

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

$95.1 DOP 5,606

$91.4 MX$1,569

4.10%

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

$17.15 DOP 1,011

$25.20 MX$433

-31.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.89 DOP 1,997

$31.24 MX$536

8.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.44 DOP 1,499

$67.2 MX$1,154

-62.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$66.5 DOP 3,916

$29.11 MX$500

128.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 DOP 456

$4.86 MX$83.5

59.26%

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

$101 DOP 5,950

$224 MX$3,839

-54.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,257 DOP 133.0K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

-46.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.76 DOP 2,755

$47.10 MX$808

-0.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 DOP 2,821

$44.29 MX$760

8.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 DOP 5,172

$80.1 MX$1,375

9.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 DOP 4,800

$92.7 MX$1,591

-12.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 DOP 17.8K

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-71.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 DOP 12.9K

$390 MX$6,698

-43.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 DOP 34.7K

$2,149 MX$36.9K

-72.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 DOP 24.5K

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-67.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,876 DOP 110.5K

$4,001 MX$68.7K

-53.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,294 DOP 76.3K

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-80.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 DOP 26.7K

$758 MX$13.0K

-40.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.45

0.44%

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

Last update for Higuey: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Higuey and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 67% 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: $51.0 in Higuey vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $276, with Higuey cheaper for home cooking.

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, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 67% 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: $302 in Higuey versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $931 per month in Higuey versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Higuey runs roughly 79% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $931 in Higuey versus $1,266 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 36% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.