Cost of Living Comparison Between Abomey-Calavi and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Abomey-Calavi and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $744 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,164 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,584 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Abomey-Calavi is about 41% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Abomey-Calavi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Abomey-Calavi 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.55 F CFA 3,174
$11.60 MX$200
-52.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.00 F CFA 14.9K
$47.11 MX$812
-44.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.13 F CFA 4,647
$11.88 MX$205
-31.57%
Cappuccino
$4.89 F CFA 2,793
$3.98 MX$68.6
22.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 F CFA 638
$1.43 MX$24.60
-21.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 F CFA 998
$0.82 MX$14.22
113.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.81 F CFA 1,034
$3.19 MX$55.0
-43.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.25 F CFA 3,002
$6.79 MX$117
-22.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 F CFA 1,237
$1.68 MX$28.89
28.57%
White Bread (500g)
$0.25 F CFA 142
$2.20 MX$37.88
-88.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 F CFA 1,184
$1.71 MX$29.45
21.05%
Eggs
$2.06 F CFA 1,177
$2.74 MX$47.26
-24.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.55 F CFA 2,027
$9.58 MX$165
-62.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.86 F CFA 2,207
$9.01 MX$155
-57.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.14 F CFA 3,511
$12.81 MX$221
-52.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.16 F CFA 1,233
$2.89 MX$49.81
-25.26%
Banana (1kg)
$0.92 F CFA 526
$1.50 MX$25.81
-38.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.67 F CFA 382
$2.15 MX$37.03
-68.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 F CFA 1,173
$2.26 MX$38.96
-9.29%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 F CFA 536
$1.98 MX$34.15
-52.53%
Onion (1kg)
$0.82 F CFA 468
$1.99 MX$34.30
-58.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 F CFA 383
$1.23 MX$21.28
-45.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 F CFA 515
$1.20 MX$20.63
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.42 F CFA 243
$4.55 MX$78.5
-90.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.05 F CFA 6,317
$10.37 MX$179
6.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 F CFA 567
$1.62 MX$27.91
-38.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 F CFA 667
$2.88 MX$49.67
-59.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.60 MX$10.35
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.69 F CFA 4,396
$28.80 MX$497
-73.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.74 F CFA 992
$5.39 MX$92.9
-67.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 F CFA 998
$3.73 MX$64.3
-53.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.77 MX$99.5
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 F CFA 709
$1.54 MX$26.48
-19.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$22.5K MX$388.8K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.1K MX$449.3K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$121 F CFA 69.4K
$91.4 MX$1,576
32.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.29 F CFA 11.6K
$25.20 MX$435
-19.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$89.5 F CFA 51.1K
$31.24 MX$539
186.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.48 F CFA 20.3K
$67.2 MX$1,159
-47.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.25 F CFA 3,001
$29.11 MX$502
-81.96%
Cinema Ticket
$6.12 F CFA 3,497
$4.86 MX$83.8
25.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$224 MX$3,856
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$4,229 MX$72.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.53 F CFA 10.0K
$47.10 MX$812
-62.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.88 F CFA 5,075
$44.29 MX$764
-79.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$26.47 F CFA 15.1K
$80.1 MX$1,381
-66.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$26.31 F CFA 15.0K
$92.7 MX$1,598
-71.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$103 F CFA 59.0K
$1,063 MX$18.3K
-90.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$76.1 F CFA 43.5K
$390 MX$6,728
-80.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$220 F CFA 125.5K
$2,149 MX$37.1K
-89.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$283 F CFA 161.6K
$1,272 MX$21.9K
-77.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,001 MX$69.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,502 MX$112.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$89.3 F CFA 51.0K
$758 MX$13.1K
-88.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
11.45
-

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

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Abomey-Calavi versus $1,063 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.

Salaries run about 749% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $276 – making Abomey-Calavi 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
Abomey-Calavi vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Abomey-Calavi?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,116 per month in Abomey-Calavi and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Abomey-Calavi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Abomey-Calavi and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $744 in Abomey-Calavi and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is eating out cheaper in Abomey-Calavi or in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Abomey-Calavi or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abomey-Calavi, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Abomey-Calavi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Abomey-Calavi or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Abomey-Calavi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Abomey-Calavi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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