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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,312 in Haverhill.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,369 in Haverhill.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,426 in Haverhill.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 45% less than in Haverhill, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Haverhill is 72% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Haverhill
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.61 MX$201
$20.50 ยฃ15.19
-43.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$742
$81.9 ยฃ60.7
-47.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.60 MX$184
$9.97 ยฃ7.39
6.32%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.3
$4.72 ยฃ3.50
-23.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.21
$2.29 ยฃ1.70
-36.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MX$15.58
$1.66 ยฃ1.23
-45.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$6.05 ยฃ4.48
-49.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56 MX$79.2
$6.22 ยฃ4.61
-26.69%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Haverhill
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$25.20
$1.63 ยฃ1.20
-11.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 MX$31.72
$1.60 ยฃ1.18
14.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.92
$2.26 ยฃ1.68
-28.76%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$44.05
$3.82 ยฃ2.83
-33.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.54 MX$148
$9.91 ยฃ7.34
-13.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.47 MX$147
$8.86 ยฃ6.56
-4.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$189
$14.30 ยฃ10.59
-24.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.37
$3.03 ยฃ2.25
-9.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.91
$1.60 ยฃ1.18
-6.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 MX$33.73
$2.83 ยฃ2.10
-31.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 MX$37.57
$3.47 ยฃ2.57
-37.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.05
$1.64 ยฃ1.22
12.80%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$38.00
$1.54 ยฃ1.14
42.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.62
$1.11 ยฃ0.82
-3.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.81
$1.51 ยฃ1.12
-28.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.06 MX$70.5
$19.28 ยฃ14.29
-78.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.46 MX$182
$10.59 ยฃ7.85
-1.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 MX$28.71
$2.79 ยฃ2.07
-40.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 MX$44.23
$3.13 ยฃ2.32
-18.53%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Haverhill
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.56 MX$9.65
$3.33 ยฃ2.47
-83.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.20 MX$455
$87.8 ยฃ65.1
-70.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$54.5
$5.36 ยฃ3.97
-41.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.37 MX$41.17
$1.55 ยฃ1.15
52.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.2
$22.94 ยฃ17.00
-85.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.81
$1.95 ยฃ1.44
-32.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K MX$530.2K
$38.8K ยฃ28.8K
-21.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$413.6K
$41.0K ยฃ30.4K
-41.96%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Haverhill
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.1 MX$1,443
$290 ยฃ215
-71.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.15 MX$385
$16.87 ยฃ12.50
31.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.37 MX$510
$42.33 ยฃ31.37
-30.62%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Haverhill
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.2 MX$889
$46.45 ยฃ34.42
10.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69 MX$324
$11.91 ยฃ8.82
56.93%
Cinema Ticket
$4.89 MX$84.9
$13.35 ยฃ9.89
-63.37%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Haverhill
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$199 MX$3,449
$1,593 ยฃ1,180
-87.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,207 MX$90.4K
$18.0K ยฃ13.4K
-71.11%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Haverhill
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.93 MX$624
$85.1 ยฃ63.1
-57.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.39 MX$684
$43.62 ยฃ32.33
-9.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.3 MX$1,394
$91.8 ยฃ68.0
-12.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.6 MX$1,520
$98.8 ยฃ73.2
-11.35%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Haverhill
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.7K
$1,234 ยฃ914
-21.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 MX$8,370
$983 ยฃ729
-50.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,645 MX$28.6K
$2,044 ยฃ1,515
-19.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,192 MX$20.7K
$1,698 ยฃ1,258
-29.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,957 MX$68.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,513 MX$113.1K
-
-
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Haverhill
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$726 MX$12.6K
$2,203 ยฃ1,633
-67.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
5.63
102.84%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Haverhill: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,234 in Haverhill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Haverhill pays 203% 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: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $82 in Haverhill for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $299 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Haverhill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Haverhill?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost โ€“ living expenses run 83% lower than in Haverhill. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or Haverhill?
On paper, Haverhill earns 203% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Haverhill?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,234 in Haverhill. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Haverhill?
All in, you'll spend $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,312 in Haverhill โ€“ a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen vs Haverhill?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 235% less than in Haverhill. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Haverhill?
At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,312 in Haverhill, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Haverhill. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Haverhill?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value โ€“ similar infrastructure at $1,262 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Haverhill?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Haverhill are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 83% less than in Haverhill. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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