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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $964 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,538 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,112 in Havana.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 34% more expensive than Havana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Havana 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.71 CUP 89.0

216.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$29.74 CUP 714

39.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.47 CUP 155

64.45%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.24 CUP 29.75

183.87%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$2.22 CUP 53.4

-31.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.52 CUP 36.56

-36.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.01 CUP 48.25

46.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.46 CUP 59.1

80.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$3.36 CUP 80.7

-58.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.07 CUP 25.70

76.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.35 CUP 56.4

-30.21%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.56 CUP 85.5

-29.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.93 CUP 118

69.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.29 CUP 127

57.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.56 CUP 229

12.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$5.03 CUP 121

-48.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.38 CUP 33.13

5.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.42 CUP 58.2

-21.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.69 CUP 40.54

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.81 CUP 67.4

-36.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.77 CUP 66.5

-20.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.02 CUP 24.57

1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.14 CUP 27.35

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.90 CUP 93.6

4.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$3.97 CUP 95.3

159.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.09 CUP 50.2

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.93 CUP 46.22

33.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.28 CUP 30.74

-60.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$24.77 CUP 595

6.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.13 CUP 75.0

4.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.48 CUP 11.53

418.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$15.13 CUP 363

-78.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.26 CUP 30.30

3.97%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$60.5K CUP 1.5M

-49.91%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$66.9K CUP 1.6M

-64.97%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$37.68 CUP 904

119.93%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$40.35 CUP 968

-44.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$74.3 CUP 1,782

-60.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$40.12 CUP 963

28.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$6.12 CUP 147

199.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$0.88 CUP 21.16

476.14%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$114 CUP 2,741

75.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$10.1K CUP 242.3K

-48.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$40.14 CUP 963

-8.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$33.68 CUP 808

18.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$75.1 CUP 1,802

4.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$84.5 CUP 2,027

3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$371 CUP 8,905

162.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$291 CUP 6,982

60.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,012 CUP 24.3K

62.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$596 CUP 14.3K

104.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$335 CUP 8,037

1078.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$406 CUP 9,742

1500.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$33.02 CUP 792

1910.66%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Havana: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $371 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 1911% 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $964 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 1911% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $371 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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $964 in Havana – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $964 in Havana versus $1,297 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 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.