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: $963 in Cotonou versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Cotonou versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Cotonou versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 24% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotonou 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 F CFA 2,029

$11.87 MX$204

-69.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.52 F CFA 15.0K

$42.90 MX$736

-38.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 F CFA 3,000

$10.65 MX$183

-50.14%

Cappuccino

$5.58 F CFA 3,150

$3.45 MX$59.2

61.74%

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

$0.92 F CFA 522

$1.50 MX$25.81

-38.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 F CFA 436

$0.95 MX$16.28

-18.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 F CFA 811

$3.03 MX$51.9

-52.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 F CFA 1,975

$4.61 MX$79.1

-24.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

$1.38 MX$23.61

88.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 F CFA 805

$1.85 MX$31.70

-22.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,084

$1.61 MX$27.65

19.25%

Eggs

$2.27 F CFA 1,282

$2.59 MX$44.51

-12.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 F CFA 5,249

$8.26 MX$142

12.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 F CFA 2,864

$8.37 MX$144

-39.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 F CFA 2,875

$10.66 MX$183

-52.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 F CFA 2,271

$2.63 MX$45.12

52.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 810

$1.49 MX$25.53

-4.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 F CFA 711

$1.92 MX$32.94

-34.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 998

$2.09 MX$35.81

-15.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 763

$1.86 MX$31.88

-27.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 808

$2.26 MX$38.81

-36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 F CFA 294

$1.06 MX$18.23

-50.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 724

$1.09 MX$18.67

17.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 F CFA 1,309

$4.15 MX$71.2

-44.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 F CFA 2,454

$10.39 MX$178

-58.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 F CFA 669

$1.72 MX$29.59

-31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 F CFA 1,248

$2.61 MX$44.85

-15.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 F CFA 971

$0.54 MX$9.30

218.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 F CFA 811

$3.13 MX$53.7

-53.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 F CFA 734

$2.51 MX$43.09

-48.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 F CFA 978

$3.15 MX$54.1

-45.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 F CFA 624

$1.27 MX$21.88

-13.39%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$24.8K F CFA 14.0M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

5.35%

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

$261 F CFA 147.7K

$83.0 MX$1,425

215.05%

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

$44.50 F CFA 25.1K

$22.71 MX$390

95.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 F CFA 32.4K

$29.46 MX$506

94.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 F CFA 34.2K

$51.0 MX$875

18.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.37 F CFA 3,035

$18.33 MX$315

-70.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 F CFA 4,162

$4.93 MX$84.5

49.49%

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

$189 F CFA 106.9K

$197 MX$3,386

-4.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,558 F CFA 3.7M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

24.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.48 F CFA 9,870

$36.90 MX$633

-52.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,912

$39.89 MX$685

-78.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,106

$80.0 MX$1,373

-88.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.05 F CFA 27.1K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-46.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 F CFA 113.5K

$956 MX$16.4K

-78.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 F CFA 83.0K

$477 MX$8,189

-69.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 F CFA 334.5K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-64.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 F CFA 161.4K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-76.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Cotonou and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $250 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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,445 in Cotonou and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $201 in Cotonou versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $963 per month in Cotonou versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $963 in Cotonou versus $1,271 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 32% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.