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 $1,327 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,073 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,820 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port-au-Prince costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Port-au-Prince and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Port-au-Prince 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 HTG 404

$1.73 MX$29.19

79.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 HTG 356

$2.26 MX$38.20

20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 HTG 297

$1.77 MX$29.90

28.81%

Eggs

$5.49 HTG 716

$2.73 MX$46.18

101.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 HTG 819

$9.18 MX$155

-31.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 HTG 822

$8.92 MX$151

-29.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 HTG 1,286

$12.60 MX$213

-21.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 HTG 559

$3.02 MX$51.1

42.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 HTG 201

$1.57 MX$26.54

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 HTG 161

$2.13 MX$35.92

-42.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 HTG 312

$2.26 MX$38.27

5.75%

Potato (1kg)

$5.25 HTG 685

$2.00 MX$33.87

162.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 HTG 283

$2.06 MX$34.89

5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 HTG 185

$1.18 MX$19.94

20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 HTG 188

$1.20 MX$20.35

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.56 HTG 203

$4.63 MX$78.3

-66.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 HTG 1,967

$10.69 MX$181

41.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 HTG 215

$1.62 MX$27.37

1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 HTG 300

$2.88 MX$48.69

-20.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 HTG 23.41

$0.57 MX$9.69

-68.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.22 HTG 2,636

$29.83 MX$504

-32.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 HTG 52.0

$5.45 MX$92.1

-92.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 HTG 50.0

$3.70 MX$62.6

-89.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.77 HTG 2,577

$5.98 MX$101

230.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 HTG 150

$1.55 MX$26.25

-25.81%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

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

$50.7 HTG 6,609

$25.04 MX$423

102.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$10.03 HTG 1,308

$5.05 MX$85.3

98.61%

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

$225 MX$3,802

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.4 HTG 9,705

$44.98 MX$760

65.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 HTG 119.0K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-14.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 HTG 115.4K

$405 MX$6,850

118.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 HTG 280.6K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

11.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,857 HTG 242.1K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

42.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,688 HTG 220.1K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-57.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,493 HTG 194.6K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-77.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Port-au-Prince: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $913 in Port-au-Prince versus $1,069 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.

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 3%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,990 per month in Port-au-Prince and $1,940 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.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Port-au-Prince, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Public transport costs about 48% 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 $1,293, than in Port-au-Prince at $1,327. 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.