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

🙂 Solo nomad: Douala is 3.1% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 30.5% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Douala is 50.2% more expensive than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 18.1% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Douala
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.64 FCFA 4,892
$11.99 MX$227
-27.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$124 FCFA 69.9K
$42.47 MX$803
190.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.34 FCFA 3,021
$10.47 MX$198
-49.00%
Cappuccino
$1.8 FCFA 1,016
$3.6 MX$68.2
-50.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 FCFA 949
$1.44 MX$27.16
16.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 FCFA 444
$0.89 MX$16.79
-12.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.16 FCFA 659
$3.09 MX$58.5
-62.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 FCFA 1,521
$4.58 MX$86.6
-41.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Douala
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.84 FCFA 1,607
$1.38 MX$26.04
105.80%
White Bread (500g)
$0.45 FCFA 254
$1.85 MX$34.9
-75.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 FCFA 1,271
$1.57 MX$29.68
43.31%
Eggs
$1.92 FCFA 1,086
$2.55 MX$48.3
-24.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.61 FCFA 12.8K
$8.61 MX$163
162.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.13 FCFA 4,599
$8.54 MX$161
-4.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.44 FCFA 3,648
$10.98 MX$208
-41.35%
Apples (1kg)
$4.75 FCFA 2,691
$2.72 MX$51.4
74.63%
Banana (1kg)
$2.16 FCFA 1,221
$1.51 MX$28.57
43.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 FCFA 1,219
$1.88 MX$35.63
14.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 FCFA 777
$2.19 MX$41.42
-37.44%
Potato (1kg)
$3.27 FCFA 1,850
$1.87 MX$35.3
74.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.22 FCFA 1,257
$2.19 MX$41.37
1.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.77 FCFA 437
$1.07 MX$20.23
-28.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 FCFA 352
$1.09 MX$20.64
-43.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.51 FCFA 1,988
$3.96 MX$74.9
-11.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.51 FCFA 4,818
$8.86 MX$167
-3.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 FCFA 797
$1.72 MX$32.53
-18.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 FCFA 1,104
$2.61 MX$49.37
-25.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Douala
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.64 FCFA 364
$0.52 MX$9.74
23.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.4 FCFA 9,847
$26.59 MX$503
-34.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.51 FCFA 286
$3.24 MX$61.2
-84.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.77 FCFA 434
$2.38 MX$44.94
-67.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.57 FCFA 4,854
$3.11 MX$58.7
175.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 FCFA 803
$1.31 MX$24.85
8.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.3K FCFA 17.7M
$30.3K MX$573K
3.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.7K FCFA 8.9M
$24K MX$453.6K
-34.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Douala
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$166 FCFA 93.8K
$84.2 MX$1,592
96.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.1 FCFA 14.8K
$22.14 MX$419
17.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$185 FCFA 104.6K
$30.14 MX$570
513.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Douala
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.85 FCFA 13.5K
$52 MX$983
-54.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.43 FCFA 1,940
$18.72 MX$354
-81.68%
Cinema Ticket
$9.04 FCFA 5,117
$5.07 MX$95.9
78.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Douala
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$534 FCFA 302.1K
$200 MX$3,787
166.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,528 FCFA 2M
$5,333 MX$100.8K
-33.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Douala
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.3 FCFA 46K
$35.74 MX$676
127.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.2 FCFA 39.2K
$39.8 MX$753
73.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$142 FCFA 80.6K
$79 MX$1,493
80.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$156 FCFA 88.5K
$88.4 MX$1,671
76.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Douala
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$931 FCFA 527K
$965 MX$18.3K
-3.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$592 FCFA 335.2K
$474 MX$8,968
24.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,893 FCFA 1.1M
$1,653 MX$31.2K
14.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,105 FCFA 625.6K
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-8.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,098 FCFA 1.2M
$3,081 MX$58.3K
-31.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,019 FCFA 576.8K
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-86.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Douala
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$161 FCFA 91K
$792 MX$15K
-79.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
19.21
11.42
68.21%

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

Last update for Douala: October 29, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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