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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,682 per month in Libreville vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,697 per month in Libreville vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,711 per month in Libreville vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Libreville costs about 34% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Libreville sits 26% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 FCFA 10.0K

$11.99 MX$209

45.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 FCFA 45.6K

$41.78 MX$728

89.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.12 FCFA 7,534

$10.75 MX$187

22.05%

Cappuccino

$6.34 FCFA 3,640

$3.50 MX$60.9

81.14%

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

$1.48 FCFA 851

$1.45 MX$25.22

2.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 FCFA 833

$0.88 MX$15.41

64.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 FCFA 615

$2.95 MX$51.3

-63.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 FCFA 949

$4.51 MX$78.6

-63.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.99 FCFA 1,715

$1.43 MX$24.94

109.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 FCFA 843

$1.84 MX$31.99

-20.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 FCFA 2,422

$1.57 MX$27.31

168.79%

Eggs

$5.42 FCFA 3,111

$2.51 MX$43.74

115.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 FCFA 5,332

$8.28 MX$144

12.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 FCFA 5,200

$8.43 MX$147

7.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.97 FCFA 15.5K

$10.68 MX$186

152.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 FCFA 2,513

$2.61 MX$45.43

67.82%

Banana (1kg)

$4.50 FCFA 2,582

$1.44 MX$25.04

212.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 FCFA 2,063

$1.96 MX$34.16

83.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 FCFA 2,066

$2.09 MX$36.47

72.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 FCFA 1,978

$1.85 MX$32.24

86.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 FCFA 1,991

$2.17 MX$37.74

59.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.47 FCFA 1,993

$1.03 MX$17.96

236.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 FCFA 1,103

$1.07 MX$18.70

79.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 FCFA 1,485

$4.10 MX$71.4

-36.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.83 FCFA 6,793

$10.17 MX$177

16.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 FCFA 483

$1.68 MX$29.17

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 FCFA 995

$2.53 MX$43.98

-31.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 FCFA 499

$0.51 MX$8.87

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.65 FCFA 27.9K

$26.04 MX$453

86.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 FCFA 736

$3.23 MX$56.3

-60.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 FCFA 417

$2.41 MX$41.88

-69.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.81 FCFA 10.2K

$3.23 MX$56.2

451.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 FCFA 620

$1.32 MX$23.00

-18.18%

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

$30.1K FCFA 17.3M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

1.30%

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

$23.2K FCFA 13.3M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-1.77%

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

$86.7 FCFA 49.8K

$82.0 MX$1,428

5.76%

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

$35.87 FCFA 20.6K

$22.95 MX$400

56.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 FCFA 40.6K

$30.11 MX$524

134.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 FCFA 37.6K

$52.0 MX$905

26.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.49 FCFA 15.2K

$18.53 MX$323

42.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 FCFA 2,617

$4.98 MX$86.6

-8.43%

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

$179 FCFA 102.9K

$197 MX$3,438

-9.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,704 FCFA 3.3M

$5,336 MX$92.9K

6.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.2 FCFA 50.1K

$35.60 MX$620

144.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.45 FCFA 25.5K

$40.33 MX$702

10.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.3 FCFA 30.0K

$78.8 MX$1,371

-33.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 FCFA 60.9K

$88.9 MX$1,549

19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 FCFA 648.4K

$947 MX$16.5K

19.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 FCFA 299.5K

$474 MX$8,254

10.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,610 FCFA 1.5M

$1,644 MX$28.6K

58.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 FCFA 578.3K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-16.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,677 FCFA 2.1M

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-9.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,828 FCFA 1.6M

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-56.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$442 FCFA 254.0K

$654 MX$11.4K

-32.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-12.43%

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

Last update for Libreville: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,129 in Libreville versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 48% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Libreville versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $404 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,682 in Libreville, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 34% apart. Libreville costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,523 per month in Libreville and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,682 in Libreville and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 87% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Libreville at $1,682. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Libreville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $1,682 in Libreville. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Libreville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.