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: $997 in Cotonou versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Cotonou versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,854 in Cotonou versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 21% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotonou 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 F CFA 1,980

$11.72 MX$204

-70.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 F CFA 15.3K

$41.89 MX$731

-36.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 F CFA 2,946

$10.51 MX$183

-50.90%

Cappuccino

$5.56 F CFA 3,175

$3.59 MX$62.5

54.87%

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

$0.86 F CFA 492

$1.51 MX$26.31

-43.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 F CFA 449

$0.92 MX$15.96

-14.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 F CFA 799

$2.96 MX$51.6

-52.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 F CFA 2,060

$4.41 MX$76.9

-18.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 F CFA 1,472

$1.40 MX$24.35

84.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 F CFA 820

$1.88 MX$32.87

-23.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,100

$1.56 MX$27.19

23.08%

Eggs

$2.22 F CFA 1,271

$2.61 MX$45.50

-14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 F CFA 5,288

$8.32 MX$145

11.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 F CFA 2,888

$8.35 MX$146

-39.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.16 F CFA 2,949

$10.86 MX$189

-52.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 F CFA 2,217

$2.71 MX$47.31

43.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 784

$1.51 MX$26.25

-9.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 694

$1.87 MX$32.67

-35.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 995

$2.19 MX$38.19

-20.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 766

$1.86 MX$32.40

-27.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 859

$2.23 MX$38.90

-32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 F CFA 293

$1.07 MX$18.63

-52.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 705

$1.09 MX$18.94

12.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 F CFA 1,341

$4.19 MX$73.0

-43.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 F CFA 2,446

$10.43 MX$182

-58.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 F CFA 686

$1.66 MX$28.91

-27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 F CFA 1,309

$2.61 MX$45.56

-12.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

$0.54 MX$9.45

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 F CFA 789

$3.08 MX$53.7

-55.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 F CFA 712

$2.40 MX$41.94

-47.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 994

$3.13 MX$54.5

-44.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 F CFA 636

$1.31 MX$22.87

-15.27%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

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

$24.9K F CFA 14.2M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

6.67%

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

$266 F CFA 152.1K

$81.3 MX$1,418

227.50%

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

$43.54 F CFA 24.9K

$22.56 MX$393

93.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 F CFA 32.0K

$30.05 MX$524

86.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 F CFA 33.6K

$52.9 MX$923

11.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.40 F CFA 3,086

$18.39 MX$321

-70.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 F CFA 4,294

$4.92 MX$85.8

52.64%

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

$185 F CFA 105.5K

$201 MX$3,502

-8.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

$5,175 MX$90.2K

23.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.45 F CFA 9,972

$35.92 MX$627

-51.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,972

$40.13 MX$700

-78.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,169

$79.7 MX$1,390

-88.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.16 F CFA 28.1K

$86.5 MX$1,508

-43.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 F CFA 113.8K

$978 MX$17.1K

-79.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 85.2K

$470 MX$8,206

-68.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 F CFA 326.4K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-65.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 F CFA 161.6K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-76.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 F CFA 97.9K

$677 MX$11.8K

-74.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-56.22%

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

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Cotonou and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 295% 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: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $252 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 295% 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: $199 in Cotonou versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $997 per month in Cotonou versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Cotonou versus $1,260 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 26% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.