Cost of Living Comparison Between Port-au-Prince and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Port-au-Prince and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,038 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,293 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,547 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port-au-Prince costs about 62% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Port-au-Prince sits 53% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 HTG 1,550

$11.99 MX$209

-0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.5 HTG 11.7K

$41.78 MX$728

114.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.50 HTG 1,500

$10.75 MX$187

6.98%

Cappuccino

$1.68 HTG 219

$3.50 MX$60.9

-52.00%

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

$2.06 HTG 268

$1.45 MX$25.22

42.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 HTG 194

$0.88 MX$15.41

69.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 HTG 661

$2.95 MX$51.3

71.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 HTG 919

$4.51 MX$78.6

56.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 HTG 194

$1.43 MX$24.94

4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 HTG 329

$1.84 MX$31.99

36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 HTG 383

$1.57 MX$27.31

87.26%

Eggs

$2.83 HTG 369

$2.51 MX$43.74

12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 HTG 1,310

$8.28 MX$144

21.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.39 HTG 2,006

$8.43 MX$147

82.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 HTG 1,543

$10.68 MX$186

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 HTG 639

$2.61 MX$45.43

87.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 HTG 154

$1.44 MX$25.04

-18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 HTG 134

$1.96 MX$34.16

-47.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 HTG 134

$2.09 MX$36.47

-50.72%

Potato (1kg)

$4.96 HTG 646

$1.85 MX$32.24

168.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 HTG 357

$2.17 MX$37.74

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 HTG 134

$1.03 MX$17.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 HTG 140

$1.07 MX$18.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 HTG 265

$4.10 MX$71.4

-50.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 HTG 2,006

$10.17 MX$177

51.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 HTG 233

$1.68 MX$29.17

6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 HTG 251

$2.53 MX$43.98

-24.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 HTG 25.30

$0.51 MX$8.87

-62.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 HTG 2,600

$26.04 MX$453

-23.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 HTG 47.45

$3.23 MX$56.3

-88.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 HTG 50.2

$2.41 MX$41.88

-83.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.77 HTG 2,577

$3.23 MX$56.2

512.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 HTG 144

$1.32 MX$23.00

-16.67%

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

$35.3K HTG 4.6M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

18.80%

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

$44.5K HTG 5.8M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

87.91%

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

$101 HTG 13.2K

$82.0 MX$1,428

23.40%

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

$50.3 HTG 6,561

$22.95 MX$400

119.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$164 HTG 21.4K

$30.11 MX$524

445.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.9 HTG 9,116

$52.0 MX$905

34.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 HTG 2,566

$18.53 MX$323

6.21%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 HTG 1,323

$4.98 MX$86.6

103.82%

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

$99.6 HTG 13.0K

$197 MX$3,438

-49.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,840 HTG 891.8K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

28.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 HTG 10.6K

$35.60 MX$620

128.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.0 HTG 9,652

$40.33 MX$702

83.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 HTG 15.8K

$78.8 MX$1,371

54.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 HTG 19.9K

$88.9 MX$1,549

71.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 HTG 120.1K

$947 MX$16.5K

-2.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 HTG 118.1K

$474 MX$8,254

91.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,113 HTG 275.5K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

28.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 HTG 235.9K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

49.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,688 HTG 220.1K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-58.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,519 HTG 198.1K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-76.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.08%

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

Last update for Port-au-Prince: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $921 in Port-au-Prince versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Port-au-Prince versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Port-au-Prince vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port-au-Prince is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,057 per month in Port-au-Prince and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,038 in Port-au-Prince and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Port-au-Prince at $2,038. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port-au-Prince it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port-au-Prince makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.