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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $875 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,419 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,964 in Havana.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 45% more expensive than in Havana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Havana 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$3.76 CUP 90.3

208.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$807

$27.33 CUP 656

72.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$4.86 CUP 117

144.44%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.1

$1.14 CUP 27.31

249.12%

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

$1.43 MX$24.45

$1.69 CUP 40.53

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.13

$0.98 CUP 23.54

-16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.6

$1.64 CUP 39.26

94.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

$2.01 CUP 48.26

237.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.71

$3.72 CUP 89.2

-54.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.64

$1.45 CUP 34.79

51.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.27

$2.11 CUP 50.7

-18.96%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.96

$3.65 CUP 87.7

-24.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$4.57 CUP 110

109.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$4.66 CUP 112

93.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$219

$8.24 CUP 198

55.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.49

$6.11 CUP 147

-52.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.65

$1.10 CUP 26.44

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.80

$4.02 CUP 96.6

-46.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.71

$2.34 CUP 56.1

-3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.93

$3.85 CUP 92.4

-48.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.09

$3.96 CUP 95.1

-49.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.15

$0.76 CUP 18.26

61.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.50

$1.46 CUP 35.11

-17.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

$2.02 CUP 48.44

125.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$3.96 CUP 95.1

161.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.74

$1.60 CUP 38.49

1.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.35

$2.12 CUP 51.0

35.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

$1.29 CUP 30.87

-53.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$493

$22.54 CUP 541

27.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.3

$2.61 CUP 62.7

106.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$0.43 CUP 10.29

767.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

$20.15 CUP 484

-71.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.32

$1.31 CUP 31.34

17.56%

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

$22.5K MX$386.3K

$60.4K CUP 1.4M

-62.65%

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

$26.1K MX$446.5K

$59.3K CUP 1.4M

-56.08%

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

$91.4 MX$1,566

$47.55 CUP 1,141

92.18%

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

$25.20 MX$432

$38.24 CUP 918

-34.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$535

$91.2 CUP 2,188

-65.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,151

$19.37 CUP 465

246.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

$13.03 CUP 313

123.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.3

$0.89 CUP 21.28

446.07%

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

$224 MX$3,832

$114 CUP 2,739

95.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

$7,139 CUP 171.3K

-40.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$807

$36.35 CUP 872

29.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$36.29 CUP 871

22.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$68.3 CUP 1,639

17.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,588

$56.6 CUP 1,358

63.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$254 CUP 6,088

318.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,686

$215 CUP 5,169

81.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

$934 CUP 22.4K

130.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$544 CUP 13.1K

133.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

$336 CUP 8,074

1089.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.4K

$400 CUP 9,601

1525.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$32.71 CUP 785

2217.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.1

25.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Havana: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $254 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 2218% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Havana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $262 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $875 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2218% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $254 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 $27.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $875 in Havana – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $875 in Havana versus $1,266 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 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.