Cost of Living Comparison Between Pétion-Ville and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Pétion-Ville and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,226 per month in Pétion-Ville vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Pétion-Ville vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,244 per month in Pétion-Ville vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pétion-Ville costs about 72% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Pétion-Ville sits 66% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.35 HTG 1,874

$11.73 MX$203

22.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.8 HTG 12.0K

$41.62 MX$720

120.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 HTG 1,531

$10.64 MX$184

10.15%

Cappuccino

$3.81 HTG 498

$3.52 MX$60.9

8.24%

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

$3.14 HTG 411

$1.51 MX$26.12

107.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 HTG 196

$0.97 MX$16.84

54.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.51 HTG 981

$2.95 MX$51.0

154.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.33 HTG 1,218

$4.45 MX$77.0

109.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 HTG 271

$1.38 MX$23.93

50.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 HTG 344

$1.89 MX$32.72

39.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 HTG 395

$1.64 MX$28.32

84.15%

Eggs

$3.79 HTG 494

$2.51 MX$43.34

51.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.96 HTG 909

$8.34 MX$144

-16.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 HTG 793

$8.34 MX$144

-27.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 HTG 1,232

$10.73 MX$186

-12.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 HTG 494

$2.60 MX$45.04

45.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 HTG 126

$1.46 MX$25.20

-34.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 HTG 99.1

$1.90 MX$32.87

-60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 HTG 305

$2.08 MX$35.91

12.02%

Potato (1kg)

$7.39 HTG 965

$1.78 MX$30.71

315.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 HTG 292

$2.19 MX$37.80

2.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 HTG 151

$1.04 MX$17.99

11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 HTG 133

$1.08 MX$18.62

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 HTG 592

$4.08 MX$70.6

11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.52 HTG 1,504

$10.32 MX$178

11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 HTG 198

$1.71 MX$29.61

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 HTG 292

$2.58 MX$44.54

-13.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 HTG 52.0

$0.51 MX$8.81

-21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.50 HTG 5,028

$26.46 MX$458

45.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 HTG 51.0

$3.26 MX$56.4

-88.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.06 HTG 1,836

$3.25 MX$56.2

332.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 HTG 183

$1.31 MX$22.61

6.87%

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

$35.2K HTG 4.6M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

16.15%

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

$24.5K HTG 3.2M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

4.42%

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

$170 HTG 22.2K

$82.9 MX$1,433

104.78%

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

$46.86 HTG 6,119

$22.22 MX$384

110.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$226 HTG 29.5K

$29.34 MX$507

669.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.8 HTG 7,938

$51.6 MX$893

17.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.34 HTG 2,003

$18.32 MX$317

-16.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 HTG 662

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 HTG 11.8K

$36.92 MX$639

144.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.5 HTG 9,864

$39.79 MX$688

89.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$152 HTG 19.8K

$78.5 MX$1,357

93.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 HTG 25.0K

$87.1 MX$1,506

120.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 HTG 153.0K

$973 MX$16.8K

20.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 HTG 119.4K

$468 MX$8,090

95.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,197 HTG 417.5K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

94.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 HTG 301.3K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

89.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,450 HTG 319.9K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-37.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,883 HTG 245.9K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-71.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$765 HTG 99.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

15.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

57.62%

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

Last update for Pétion-Ville: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,172 in Pétion-Ville versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Pétion-Ville, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Pétion-Ville versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,226 in Pétion-Ville, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 72% apart. Pétion-Ville costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,339 per month in Pétion-Ville and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 46% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Pétion-Ville, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Pétion-Ville at $2,226. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pétion-Ville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $2,226 in Pétion-Ville. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pétion-Ville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.