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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,325 in Abidjan versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,172 in Abidjan versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,020 in Abidjan versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Abidjan is roughly 2% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abidjan 1% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 F CFA 1,947

$11.73 MX$203

-70.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 F CFA 30.3K

$41.62 MX$720

29.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 F CFA 6,012

$10.64 MX$184

0.19%

Cappuccino

$1.81 F CFA 1,020

$3.52 MX$60.9

-48.58%

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

$0.86 F CFA 485

$1.51 MX$26.12

-43.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 F CFA 467

$0.97 MX$16.84

-14.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 F CFA 580

$2.95 MX$51.0

-65.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 F CFA 1,008

$4.45 MX$77.0

-59.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 F CFA 1,322

$1.38 MX$23.93

69.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 F CFA 350

$1.89 MX$32.72

-67.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 F CFA 728

$1.64 MX$28.32

-21.34%

Eggs

$2.29 F CFA 1,290

$2.51 MX$43.34

-8.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.28 F CFA 13.1K

$8.34 MX$144

179.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 F CFA 4,846

$8.34 MX$144

3.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 F CFA 3,519

$10.73 MX$186

-41.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 F CFA 2,203

$2.60 MX$45.04

50.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 F CFA 646

$1.46 MX$25.20

-21.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 F CFA 1,238

$1.90 MX$32.87

15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 F CFA 1,145

$2.08 MX$35.91

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 F CFA 949

$1.78 MX$30.71

-5.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 F CFA 989

$2.19 MX$37.80

-20.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 F CFA 502

$1.04 MX$17.99

-14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 F CFA 512

$1.08 MX$18.62

-15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 F CFA 973

$4.08 MX$70.6

-57.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 F CFA 3,524

$10.32 MX$178

-39.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 F CFA 596

$1.71 MX$29.61

-38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 F CFA 803

$2.58 MX$44.54

-44.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 F CFA 555

$0.51 MX$8.81

92.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.40 F CFA 27.9K

$26.46 MX$458

86.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 982

$3.26 MX$56.4

-46.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 F CFA 873

$2.49 MX$43.09

-37.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.56 F CFA 15.0K

$3.25 MX$56.2

717.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 F CFA 876

$1.31 MX$22.61

18.32%

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

$32.3K F CFA 18.2M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

6.62%

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

$29.8K F CFA 16.8M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

27.35%

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

$183 F CFA 103.0K

$82.9 MX$1,433

120.48%

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

$36.19 F CFA 20.4K

$22.22 MX$384

62.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.08 F CFA 25.4K

$29.34 MX$507

53.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 F CFA 45.5K

$51.6 MX$893

56.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.96 F CFA 12.4K

$18.32 MX$317

19.87%

Cinema Ticket

$8.91 F CFA 5,024

$5.07 MX$87.6

75.74%

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

$285 F CFA 161.0K

$201 MX$3,473

42.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,287 F CFA 1.9M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-36.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 F CFA 52.3K

$36.92 MX$639

151.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 F CFA 32.6K

$39.79 MX$688

45.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 F CFA 47.7K

$78.5 MX$1,357

7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 F CFA 77.6K

$87.1 MX$1,506

58.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 F CFA 351.4K

$973 MX$16.8K

-35.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 F CFA 225.0K

$468 MX$8,090

-14.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,880 F CFA 1.1M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

14.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 F CFA 518.8K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-24.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,302 F CFA 1.3M

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-41.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 F CFA 398.8K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-89.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 F CFA 124.7K

$664 MX$11.5K

-66.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.75

11.42

29.16%

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

Last update for Abidjan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $623 in Abidjan and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 200% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Abidjan vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $249 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

Abidjan vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 200% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $623 in Abidjan versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $54.0 in Abidjan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,325 per month in Abidjan versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,325 in Abidjan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Abidjan. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Abidjan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.