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 $2,035 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,233 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,430 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port-au-Prince costs about 57% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Port-au-Prince sits 52% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.07 HTG 1,574

$11.73 MX$203

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.6 HTG 11.4K

$41.62 MX$719

110.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 HTG 1,503

$10.64 MX$184

8.36%

Cappuccino

$1.68 HTG 218

$3.52 MX$60.8

-52.27%

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

$2.03 HTG 264

$1.51 MX$26.09

34.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 HTG 192

$0.97 MX$16.82

51.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 HTG 635

$2.95 MX$51.0

65.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 HTG 917

$4.45 MX$77.0

57.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 HTG 194

$1.38 MX$23.90

7.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 HTG 321

$1.89 MX$32.69

30.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 HTG 384

$1.64 MX$28.29

79.88%

Eggs

$2.81 HTG 367

$2.51 MX$43.30

11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 HTG 1,309

$8.34 MX$144

20.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.30 HTG 1,995

$8.34 MX$144

83.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 HTG 1,560

$10.73 MX$185

11.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 HTG 664

$2.60 MX$45.00

95.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 HTG 161

$1.46 MX$25.18

-15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 HTG 133

$1.90 MX$32.84

-46.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 HTG 127

$2.08 MX$35.88

-53.37%

Potato (1kg)

$4.86 HTG 634

$1.78 MX$30.68

173.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 HTG 361

$2.19 MX$37.76

26.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 HTG 127

$1.04 MX$17.97

-6.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 HTG 146

$1.08 MX$18.60

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 HTG 254

$4.08 MX$70.5

-52.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.98 HTG 1,953

$10.32 MX$178

45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 HTG 223

$1.71 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 HTG 256

$2.58 MX$44.50

-24.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 HTG 24.49

$0.51 MX$8.81

-62.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.32 HTG 2,649

$26.46 MX$457

-23.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 HTG 48.09

$3.26 MX$56.4

-88.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 HTG 50.2

$2.49 MX$43.05

-84.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.08 HTG 2,619

$3.25 MX$56.1

517.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 HTG 145

$1.31 MX$22.59

-15.27%

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

$34.5K HTG 4.5M

$30.3K MX$523.2K

13.99%

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

$45.6K HTG 5.9M

$23.4K MX$404.9K

94.67%

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

$99.0 HTG 12.9K

$82.9 MX$1,432

19.50%

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

$50.2 HTG 6,538

$22.22 MX$384

125.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$165 HTG 21.5K

$29.34 MX$507

462.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 HTG 9,045

$51.6 MX$892

34.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 HTG 2,591

$18.32 MX$317

8.46%

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 HTG 1,278

$5.07 MX$87.5

93.29%

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

$98.8 HTG 12.9K

$201 MX$3,470

-50.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,914 HTG 901.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

32.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 HTG 10.4K

$36.92 MX$638

116.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.2 HTG 9,668

$39.79 MX$688

86.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 HTG 15.9K

$78.5 MX$1,356

55.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 HTG 19.5K

$87.1 MX$1,505

71.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 HTG 116.5K

$973 MX$16.8K

-8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$879 HTG 114.6K

$468 MX$8,082

87.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 HTG 277.2K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

29.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 HTG 241.0K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

51.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 HTG 225.7K

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-56.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,498 HTG 195.3K

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-76.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $893 in Port-au-Prince versus $973 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 $88.0 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 57%, 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 $3,053 per month in Port-au-Prince and $1,945 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 $2,035 in Port-au-Prince and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% 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 $1,297, than in Port-au-Prince at $2,035. 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.