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 $1,890 per month in Brazzaville vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,785 per month in Brazzaville vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,680 per month in Brazzaville vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brazzaville costs about 42% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Brazzaville sits 38% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.58 FCFA 4,809

$13.02 MX$221

-34.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.05 FCFA 14.6K

$46.25 MX$784

-43.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 FCFA 2,907

$12.59 MX$213

-58.78%

Cappuccino

$4.02 FCFA 2,252

$4.00 MX$67.9

0.50%

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

$1.54 FCFA 863

$1.42 MX$24.08

8.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 FCFA 862

$0.81 MX$13.73

90.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.66 FCFA 3,172

$3.05 MX$51.7

85.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 FCFA 2,166

$6.82 MX$116

-43.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 FCFA 1,295

$1.71 MX$29.04

35.09%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 FCFA 2,839

$2.22 MX$37.62

127.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 FCFA 1,821

$1.72 MX$29.13

88.95%

Eggs

$2.99 FCFA 1,678

$2.71 MX$45.99

10.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 FCFA 3,855

$9.37 MX$159

-26.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 FCFA 2,614

$8.86 MX$150

-47.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.59 FCFA 4,819

$12.78 MX$217

-32.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 FCFA 1,350

$3.13 MX$53.0

-23.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 FCFA 1,015

$1.55 MX$26.24

16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 FCFA 2,107

$2.15 MX$36.51

74.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 FCFA 1,476

$2.35 MX$39.89

11.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 FCFA 1,021

$2.02 MX$34.23

-9.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 FCFA 708

$1.99 MX$33.67

-36.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 FCFA 739

$1.24 MX$21.09

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 FCFA 1,873

$4.65 MX$78.8

-28.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 FCFA 5,819

$10.47 MX$177

-0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 FCFA 140

$0.56 MX$9.53

-55.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.75 FCFA 13.3K

$29.76 MX$504

-20.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 FCFA 1,014

$5.32 MX$90.2

-65.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 FCFA 610

$3.72 MX$63.0

-70.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 FCFA 4,006

$5.78 MX$97.9

23.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 FCFA 740

$1.55 MX$26.27

-14.84%

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

$28.8K FCFA 16.2M

$22.4K MX$379.1K

28.92%

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

$27.4K FCFA 15.4M

$25.6K MX$433.3K

7.32%

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

$828 FCFA 464.5K

$89.3 MX$1,513

827.82%

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

$17.01 FCFA 9,539

$23.30 MX$395

-27.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.07 FCFA 24.7K

$31.72 MX$538

38.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.43 FCFA 14.8K

$68.8 MX$1,165

-61.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 FCFA 7,982

$29.40 MX$498

-51.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 FCFA 3,186

$5.06 MX$85.7

12.25%

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

$52.4 FCFA 29.4K

$222 MX$3,765

-76.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 FCFA 44.2K

$46.21 MX$783

70.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 FCFA 312.2K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-47.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 FCFA 258.9K

$393 MX$6,663

17.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,539 FCFA 1.4M

$1,988 MX$33.7K

27.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,504 FCFA 843.3K

$1,304 MX$22.1K

15.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,425 FCFA 1.9M

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-15.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,990 FCFA 1.7M

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-54.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$460 FCFA 257.7K

$747 MX$12.7K

-38.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.6

-43.62%

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

Last update for Brazzaville: August 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $557 in Brazzaville versus $1,069 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 63% 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 $26.00 in Brazzaville versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $277 – making Brazzaville 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

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

Brazzaville costs about 42% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,835 per month in Brazzaville and $1,995 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 $26.00 in Brazzaville and $46.00 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 $1,890 in Brazzaville and $1,330 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 $1,330, than in Brazzaville at $1,890. 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 $1,330 versus $1,890 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.