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: $978 in Cotonou versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,407 in Cotonou versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Cotonou versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 24% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotonou 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 F CFA 1,946

$11.94 MX$208

-70.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

$42.75 MX$744

-37.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 F CFA 2,937

$10.59 MX$184

-50.52%

Cappuccino

$5.52 F CFA 3,093

$3.62 MX$63.0

52.49%

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

$0.86 F CFA 483

$1.47 MX$25.54

-41.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 F CFA 435

$0.94 MX$16.41

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 F CFA 813

$3.09 MX$53.8

-53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 F CFA 1,954

$4.46 MX$77.6

-21.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 F CFA 1,484

$1.43 MX$24.80

85.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 F CFA 773

$1.88 MX$32.79

-26.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 F CFA 1,035

$1.63 MX$28.34

13.50%

Eggs

$2.18 F CFA 1,220

$2.64 MX$45.99

-17.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 F CFA 5,173

$8.21 MX$143

12.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 F CFA 2,760

$8.29 MX$144

-40.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 F CFA 2,874

$11.10 MX$193

-53.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 F CFA 2,181

$2.65 MX$46.14

46.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 770

$1.50 MX$26.11

-8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 F CFA 709

$1.99 MX$34.59

-36.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 989

$2.08 MX$36.13

-14.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 F CFA 788

$1.79 MX$31.11

-21.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 F CFA 810

$2.18 MX$37.87

-33.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 F CFA 266

$1.08 MX$18.73

-55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 717

$1.04 MX$18.04

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 F CFA 1,307

$3.97 MX$69.1

-41.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 F CFA 3,655

$10.20 MX$178

-36.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 F CFA 697

$1.73 MX$30.04

-28.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 F CFA 1,279

$2.50 MX$43.46

-8.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,011

$0.52 MX$9.02

246.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 F CFA 809

$3.14 MX$54.7

-54.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 F CFA 704

$2.40 MX$41.80

-47.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 F CFA 1,004

$3.09 MX$53.7

-42.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 F CFA 595

$1.27 MX$22.16

-16.54%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$24.3K F CFA 13.6M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

4.18%

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

$269 F CFA 150.7K

$82.0 MX$1,427

228.11%

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

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

$22.45 MX$391

99.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

$29.66 MX$516

87.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

$51.9 MX$903

13.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.44 F CFA 3,047

$18.67 MX$325

-70.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.53 F CFA 4,217

$4.97 MX$86.5

51.51%

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

$189 F CFA 106.0K

$198 MX$3,442

-4.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,522 F CFA 3.7M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

23.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.58 F CFA 9,851

$36.34 MX$632

-51.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.64 F CFA 4,840

$40.05 MX$697

-78.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,064

$79.9 MX$1,390

-88.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-44.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 F CFA 113.1K

$963 MX$16.8K

-79.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 83.5K

$465 MX$8,086

-67.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 F CFA 323.3K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-63.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 F CFA 159.5K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-76.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Cotonou and $963 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 $214 vs $251 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 $1,467 in Cotonou and $1,930 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: $202 in Cotonou versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $978 per month in Cotonou versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Cotonou versus $1,287 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.