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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,011 per month in Brazzaville vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,933 per month in Brazzaville vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,854 per month in Brazzaville vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brazzaville costs about 56% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Brazzaville sits 50% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 FCFA 5,984

$11.94 MX$209

-10.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.46 FCFA 20.5K

$42.75 MX$748

-14.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 FCFA 2,897

$10.59 MX$185

-51.27%

Cappuccino

$3.95 FCFA 2,215

$3.62 MX$63.4

9.12%

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

$1.61 FCFA 900

$1.47 MX$25.69

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 FCFA 926

$0.94 MX$16.51

75.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 FCFA 3,298

$3.09 MX$54.1

90.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 FCFA 1,386

$4.46 MX$78.0

-44.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 FCFA 1,193

$1.43 MX$24.94

48.95%

White Bread (500g)

$4.64 FCFA 2,604

$1.88 MX$32.97

146.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 FCFA 1,680

$1.63 MX$28.50

84.05%

Eggs

$3.02 FCFA 1,693

$2.64 MX$46.26

14.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.89 FCFA 3,865

$8.21 MX$144

-16.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 FCFA 2,704

$8.29 MX$145

-41.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.35 FCFA 4,682

$11.10 MX$194

-24.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 FCFA 1,353

$2.65 MX$46.40

-9.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 FCFA 942

$1.50 MX$26.26

12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 FCFA 2,096

$1.99 MX$34.79

87.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 FCFA 1,451

$2.08 MX$36.33

24.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 FCFA 1,063

$1.79 MX$31.29

5.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 FCFA 710

$2.18 MX$38.09

-41.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 FCFA 764

$1.08 MX$18.84

25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 FCFA 288

$1.04 MX$18.15

-50.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 FCFA 1,860

$3.97 MX$69.5

-16.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 FCFA 5,788

$10.20 MX$179

1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 FCFA 325

$1.73 MX$30.22

-66.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 FCFA 1,128

$2.50 MX$43.71

-19.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 FCFA 141

$0.52 MX$9.07

-51.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.54 FCFA 13.2K

$26.97 MX$472

-12.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 FCFA 909

$3.14 MX$55.0

-48.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 FCFA 597

$2.40 MX$42.04

-55.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 FCFA 3,682

$3.09 MX$54.0

112.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 FCFA 662

$1.27 MX$22.28

-7.09%

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

$29.2K FCFA 16.4M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-5.43%

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

$27.5K FCFA 15.4M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

17.79%

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

$809 FCFA 453.7K

$82.0 MX$1,435

886.40%

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

$16.81 FCFA 9,429

$22.45 MX$393

-25.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.45 FCFA 22.7K

$29.66 MX$519

36.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.76 FCFA 22.9K

$51.9 MX$908

-21.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 FCFA 11.6K

$18.67 MX$327

11.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 FCFA 3,148

$4.97 MX$87.0

12.88%

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

$49.19 FCFA 27.6K

$198 MX$3,462

-75.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,658 FCFA 4.9M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

64.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 FCFA 31.8K

$36.34 MX$636

55.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 FCFA 33.3K

$40.05 MX$701

48.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 FCFA 55.8K

$79.9 MX$1,398

24.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.7 FCFA 30.7K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-38.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 FCFA 296.7K

$963 MX$16.9K

-45.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 FCFA 250.6K

$465 MX$8,133

-3.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,481 FCFA 1.4M

$1,596 MX$27.9K

55.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 FCFA 755.3K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

11.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,435 FCFA 1.9M

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-12.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,004 FCFA 1.7M

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-53.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$458 FCFA 256.9K

$720 MX$12.6K

-36.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.42

-42.73%

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

Last update for Brazzaville: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $529 in Brazzaville 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 57% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Brazzaville versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Brazzaville vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Brazzaville costs about 56% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,017 per month in Brazzaville and $1,930 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Brazzaville and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,011 in Brazzaville and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Brazzaville at $2,011. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brazzaville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $2,011 in Brazzaville. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brazzaville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.