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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $976 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,540 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,104 in Havana.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 29% more expensive than in Havana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Havana 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.71 CUP 89.0

223.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$731

$29.50 CUP 708

41.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$188

$6.67 CUP 160

61.17%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.1

$1.18 CUP 28.38

196.61%

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

$1.45 MX$25.33

$2.26 CUP 54.1

-35.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.47

$1.46 CUP 35.04

-39.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

$2.05 CUP 49.10

43.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.9

$2.56 CUP 61.3

76.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.04

$3.27 CUP 78.5

-56.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.13

$1.05 CUP 25.16

75.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.42

$2.41 CUP 57.9

-34.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.92

$3.64 CUP 87.4

-31.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$5.05 CUP 121

63.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.31 CUP 127

58.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$9.49 CUP 228

12.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.62

$4.89 CUP 117

-46.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.15

$1.36 CUP 32.72

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.31

$2.54 CUP 61.0

-22.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.62

$1.72 CUP 41.33

21.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.37

$2.83 CUP 67.9

-34.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.90

$2.90 CUP 69.6

-25.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.04

$0.98 CUP 23.55

5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.78

$1.13 CUP 27.18

-5.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.7

$4.08 CUP 97.9

0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$4.04 CUP 97.0

151.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.29

$2.02 CUP 48.41

-16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.17

$2.00 CUP 47.96

26.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$1.27 CUP 30.46

-59.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

$25.17 CUP 604

3.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$3.15 CUP 75.5

2.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.06

$0.51 CUP 12.34

372.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$14.87 CUP 357

-78.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.10

$1.22 CUP 29.36

8.20%

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

$29.7K MX$519.2K

$58.8K CUP 1.4M

-49.51%

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

$23.7K MX$413.7K

$67.6K CUP 1.6M

-64.97%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$37.01 CUP 888

121.59%

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

$22.95 MX$401

$40.52 CUP 972

-43.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$527

$76.1 CUP 1,827

-60.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

$41.10 CUP 986

26.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

$6.06 CUP 145

205.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.0

$0.82 CUP 19.68

507.32%

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

$197 MX$3,452

$111 CUP 2,666

77.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.3K

$10.0K CUP 240.3K

-46.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$622

$39.17 CUP 940

-9.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$33.79 CUP 811

19.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,377

$75.8 CUP 1,818

3.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$84.3 CUP 2,023

5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$365 CUP 8,750

159.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,288

$287 CUP 6,893

65.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.7K

$1,040 CUP 25.0K

58.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$601 CUP 14.4K

101.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

$327 CUP 7,853

1139.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

$405 CUP 9,718

1497.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$31.89 CUP 765

1950.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.43

53.70%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Havana: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $365 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 1950% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $30.00 in Havana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $243 per month, with Havana 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Havana differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $976 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1950% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $365 in Havana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $976 in Havana – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $976 in Havana versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Havana but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Havana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.