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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $933 in Cotonou versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,498 in Cotonou versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,062 in Cotonou versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 28% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotonou 32% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 F CFA 2,990

$11.96 MX$203

-55.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.57 F CFA 20.7K

$47.38 MX$804

-22.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 F CFA 5,552

$11.75 MX$199

-16.34%

Cappuccino

$5.39 F CFA 3,046

$4.12 MX$70.0

30.83%

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

$1.08 F CFA 608

$1.40 MX$23.74

-22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 F CFA 557

$0.91 MX$15.48

8.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 F CFA 481

$3.21 MX$54.4

-73.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 F CFA 1,486

$7.07 MX$120

-62.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 F CFA 1,760

$1.68 MX$28.44

85.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 F CFA 697

$2.15 MX$36.48

-42.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,082

$1.77 MX$30.10

8.47%

Eggs

$2.76 F CFA 1,557

$2.82 MX$47.76

-2.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 F CFA 5,605

$9.20 MX$156

7.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 F CFA 3,192

$9.23 MX$157

-38.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.27 F CFA 2,978

$12.64 MX$214

-58.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

$2.95 MX$50.1

44.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 F CFA 1,057

$1.58 MX$26.79

18.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 F CFA 751

$2.22 MX$37.70

-40.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 F CFA 1,587

$2.36 MX$40.09

19.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 F CFA 742

$1.99 MX$33.81

-34.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 F CFA 1,030

$1.98 MX$33.58

-8.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 F CFA 273

$1.24 MX$21.04

-61.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 634

$1.21 MX$20.55

-7.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 F CFA 1,950

$4.60 MX$78.1

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.31 F CFA 2,437

$10.52 MX$178

-59.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 F CFA 711

$1.69 MX$28.70

-25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 F CFA 1,095

$2.77 MX$47.06

-29.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 F CFA 739

$0.60 MX$10.22

118.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 F CFA 809

$5.24 MX$88.8

-72.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 F CFA 791

$3.65 MX$61.9

-61.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 F CFA 687

$1.54 MX$26.09

-20.78%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$24.3K F CFA 13.8M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-5.70%

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

$155 F CFA 87.6K

$90.7 MX$1,538

70.98%

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

$35.18 F CFA 19.9K

$25.19 MX$427

39.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.94 F CFA 28.2K

$31.75 MX$539

57.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 F CFA 28.9K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-25.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

$29.37 MX$498

-88.08%

Cinema Ticket

$8.92 F CFA 5,041

$4.86 MX$82.5

83.54%

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

$135 F CFA 76.5K

$226 MX$3,828

-40.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,847 F CFA 3.3M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

39.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.84 F CFA 15.2K

$47.38 MX$804

-43.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.63 F CFA 20.1K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-55.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 F CFA 39.8K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-22.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 F CFA 105.3K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-82.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 F CFA 99.1K

$409 MX$6,933

-57.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 F CFA 349.8K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-68.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 F CFA 237.0K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-67.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 F CFA 148.1K

$773 MX$13.1K

-66.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-65.07%

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

Last update for Cotonou: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $186 in Cotonou and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 195% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Cotonou vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $278 per month, with Cotonou cheaper across the board.

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

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

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 195% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $186 in Cotonou versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $933 per month in Cotonou versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $933 in Cotonou versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.