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 $1,944 per month in Brazzaville vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,866 per month in Brazzaville vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,789 per month in Brazzaville vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brazzaville costs about 53% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Brazzaville sits 45% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 FCFA 5,982

$11.87 MX$204

-10.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.58 FCFA 20.7K

$42.90 MX$736

-14.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 FCFA 2,814

$10.65 MX$183

-53.24%

Cappuccino

$4.04 FCFA 2,281

$3.45 MX$59.2

17.10%

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

$1.66 FCFA 936

$1.50 MX$25.81

10.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 FCFA 938

$0.95 MX$16.28

74.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.00 FCFA 3,386

$3.03 MX$51.9

98.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 FCFA 1,393

$4.61 MX$79.1

-46.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 FCFA 1,197

$1.38 MX$23.61

53.62%

White Bread (500g)

$4.74 FCFA 2,679

$1.85 MX$31.70

156.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 FCFA 1,701

$1.61 MX$27.65

86.96%

Eggs

$2.90 FCFA 1,636

$2.59 MX$44.51

11.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.74 FCFA 3,807

$8.26 MX$142

-18.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 FCFA 2,715

$8.37 MX$144

-42.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.31 FCFA 4,693

$10.66 MX$183

-22.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 FCFA 1,374

$2.63 MX$45.12

-7.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 FCFA 905

$1.49 MX$25.53

7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 FCFA 2,014

$1.92 MX$32.94

85.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 FCFA 1,425

$2.09 MX$35.81

20.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 FCFA 1,053

$1.86 MX$31.88

0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 FCFA 714

$2.26 MX$38.81

-44.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 FCFA 737

$1.06 MX$18.23

23.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 FCFA 289

$1.09 MX$18.67

-53.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 FCFA 1,872

$4.15 MX$71.2

-20.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 FCFA 5,822

$10.39 MX$178

-0.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 FCFA 351

$1.72 MX$29.59

-63.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 FCFA 1,104

$2.61 MX$44.85

-24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 FCFA 142

$0.54 MX$9.30

-53.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.35 FCFA 13.2K

$26.94 MX$462

-13.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 FCFA 925

$3.13 MX$53.7

-47.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 FCFA 593

$2.51 MX$43.09

-58.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 FCFA 3,777

$3.15 MX$54.1

112.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 FCFA 644

$1.27 MX$21.88

-10.24%

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

$29.9K FCFA 16.9M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-1.47%

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

$27.6K FCFA 15.6M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

17.18%

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

$819 FCFA 462.7K

$83.0 MX$1,425

887.00%

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

$16.58 FCFA 9,365

$22.71 MX$390

-26.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.13 FCFA 22.7K

$29.46 MX$506

36.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.56 FCFA 23.5K

$51.0 MX$875

-18.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.34 FCFA 11.5K

$18.33 MX$315

10.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 FCFA 3,227

$4.93 MX$84.5

15.82%

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

$49.43 FCFA 27.9K

$197 MX$3,386

-74.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,841 FCFA 5.0M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

67.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 FCFA 32.0K

$36.90 MX$633

53.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 FCFA 33.7K

$39.89 MX$685

49.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 FCFA 57.0K

$80.0 MX$1,373

26.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 FCFA 31.4K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-37.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 FCFA 301.2K

$956 MX$16.4K

-44.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 FCFA 252.8K

$477 MX$8,189

-6.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,424 FCFA 1.4M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

47.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 FCFA 750.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

8.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,396 FCFA 1.9M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-13.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,916 FCFA 1.6M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-54.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 FCFA 262.4K

$667 MX$11.4K

-30.34%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $533 in Brazzaville versus $956 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 44% 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 $37.00 in Brazzaville versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Brazzaville vs $250 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 53% 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 $2,916 per month in Brazzaville and $1,906 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 $37.00 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 $1,944 in Brazzaville and $1,271 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 $1,271, than in Brazzaville at $1,944. 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 $1,271 versus $1,944 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.