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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $931 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,524 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,116 in Higuey.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 36% more expensive than in Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Higuey 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$9.98 DOP 588

16.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$50.6 DOP 2,982

-6.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$8.00 DOP 472

48.50%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.09 DOP 123

90.43%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.08 DOP 63.9

32.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.49 DOP 28.94

67.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.56 DOP 151

24.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.60 DOP 212

88.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.29 DOP 75.9

30.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.56 DOP 92.0

41.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.42 DOP 83.6

20.42%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.00 DOP 118

37.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$7.55 DOP 445

26.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.52 DOP 325

63.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$6.84 DOP 403

87.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.01 DOP 177

-3.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$0.79 DOP 46.56

89.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.50 DOP 88.6

43.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.37 DOP 80.9

64.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.20 DOP 70.8

65.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.21 DOP 71.2

64.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.57 DOP 33.51

115.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.53 DOP 31.07

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$5.42 DOP 319

-16.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$10.40 DOP 613

-0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$2.58 DOP 152

-37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.96 DOP 174

-2.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.83 DOP 49.09

-27.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$51.5 DOP 3,032

-44.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$3.37 DOP 198

59.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$2.34 DOP 138

59.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$5.83 DOP 343

-1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.37 DOP 81.0

12.41%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$23.8K DOP 1.4M

-5.12%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

-17.22%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$95.1 DOP 5,606

-3.94%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$17.15 DOP 1,011

46.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$33.89 DOP 1,997

-7.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$25.44 DOP 1,499

164.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$66.5 DOP 3,916

-56.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$7.74 DOP 456

-37.21%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$101 DOP 5,950

121.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$2,257 DOP 133.0K

87.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$46.76 DOP 2,755

0.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$47.87 DOP 2,821

-7.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$87.8 DOP 5,172

-8.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$81.5 DOP 4,800

13.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$302 DOP 17.8K

251.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$219 DOP 12.9K

78.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$589 DOP 34.7K

264.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$415 DOP 24.5K

206.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$1,876 DOP 110.5K

113.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,294 DOP 76.3K

402.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$454 DOP 26.7K

67.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.5

-0.43%

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 Higuey: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $302 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 67% 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 $51.0 in Higuey. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $200, with Higuey cheaper for home cooking.

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 Higuey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 67% 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 $302 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $931 in Higuey – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Higuey runs roughly 79% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $931 in Higuey versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Higuey but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Higuey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Higuey is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Higuey are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Higuey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.