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 $741 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,164 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,587 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Abomey-Calavi is about 42% 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 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.82 F CFA 3,263
$11.94 MX$208
-51.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.01 F CFA 14.6K
$42.75 MX$744
-39.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.22 F CFA 4,606
$10.59 MX$184
-22.38%
Cappuccino
$4.75 F CFA 2,663
$3.62 MX$63.0
31.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 F CFA 659
$1.47 MX$25.54
-19.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 F CFA 1,001
$0.94 MX$16.41
90.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.75 F CFA 979
$3.09 MX$53.8
-43.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.23 F CFA 2,929
$4.46 MX$77.6
17.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.28 F CFA 1,275
$1.43 MX$24.80
59.44%
White Bread (500g)
$0.27 F CFA 153
$1.88 MX$32.79
-85.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.00 F CFA 1,121
$1.63 MX$28.34
22.70%
Eggs
$1.96 F CFA 1,099
$2.64 MX$45.99
-25.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.60 F CFA 2,019
$8.21 MX$143
-56.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.03 F CFA 2,256
$8.29 MX$144
-51.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.22 F CFA 3,483
$11.10 MX$193
-43.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 F CFA 1,269
$2.65 MX$46.14
-14.34%
Banana (1kg)
$0.90 F CFA 502
$1.50 MX$26.11
-40.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.69 F CFA 384
$1.99 MX$34.59
-65.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 F CFA 1,179
$2.08 MX$36.13
0.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 F CFA 569
$1.79 MX$31.11
-43.02%
Onion (1kg)
$0.83 F CFA 463
$2.18 MX$37.87
-61.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 F CFA 408
$1.08 MX$18.73
-32.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 F CFA 503
$1.04 MX$18.04
-13.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.43 F CFA 239
$3.97 MX$69.1
-89.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.08 F CFA 6,207
$10.20 MX$178
8.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 F CFA 536
$1.73 MX$30.04
-44.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 F CFA 627
$2.50 MX$43.46
-55.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.52 MX$9.02
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.57 F CFA 4,240
$26.97 MX$469
-71.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.78 F CFA 997
$3.14 MX$54.7
-43.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 F CFA 872
$2.40 MX$41.80
-35.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.09 MX$53.7
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 F CFA 705
$1.27 MX$22.16
-0.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$30.9K MX$537.3K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$23.3K MX$405.7K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 F CFA 69.9K
$82.0 MX$1,427
52.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.02 F CFA 11.2K
$22.45 MX$391
-10.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$89.7 F CFA 50.2K
$29.66 MX$516
202.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.17 F CFA 19.7K
$51.9 MX$903
-32.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.34 F CFA 2,992
$18.67 MX$325
-71.40%
Cinema Ticket
$6.16 F CFA 3,449
$4.97 MX$86.5
23.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$198 MX$3,442
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$5,273 MX$91.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.39 F CFA 9,743
$36.34 MX$632
-52.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.60 F CFA 4,818
$40.05 MX$697
-78.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$26.21 F CFA 14.7K
$79.9 MX$1,390
-67.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$26.48 F CFA 14.8K
$88.9 MX$1,547
-70.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$99.7 F CFA 55.9K
$963 MX$16.8K
-89.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$76.3 F CFA 42.7K
$465 MX$8,086
-83.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$219 F CFA 122.7K
$1,596 MX$27.8K
-86.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$277 F CFA 155.1K
$1,209 MX$21.0K
-77.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,942 MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,448 MX$112.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abomey-Calavi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$89.4 F CFA 50.1K
$720 MX$12.5K
-87.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
11.42
-

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

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $99.7 in Abomey-Calavi versus $963 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 705% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $251 – 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 74%, 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 $1,112 per month in Abomey-Calavi and $1,930 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 vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $741 in Abomey-Calavi and $1,287 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 Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi and $43.00 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 Abomey-Calavi or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abomey-Calavi, where all-in costs run around $741, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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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