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 $1,684 per month in Libreville vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Libreville vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,795 per month in Libreville vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Libreville costs about 30% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Libreville sits 26% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 FCFA 9,839

$11.73 MX$203

48.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 FCFA 44.9K

$41.62 MX$720

91.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.18 FCFA 7,435

$10.64 MX$184

23.87%

Cappuccino

$6.25 FCFA 3,525

$3.52 MX$60.9

77.56%

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

$1.46 FCFA 823

$1.51 MX$26.12

-3.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 FCFA 777

$0.97 MX$16.84

42.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 FCFA 615

$2.95 MX$51.0

-63.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 FCFA 919

$4.45 MX$77.0

-63.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 FCFA 1,679

$1.38 MX$23.93

115.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 FCFA 829

$1.89 MX$32.72

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 FCFA 2,367

$1.64 MX$28.32

156.10%

Eggs

$5.33 FCFA 3,005

$2.51 MX$43.34

112.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 FCFA 5,186

$8.34 MX$144

10.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 FCFA 4,845

$8.34 MX$144

3.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.56 FCFA 15.0K

$10.73 MX$186

147.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 FCFA 2,500

$2.60 MX$45.04

70.38%

Banana (1kg)

$4.38 FCFA 2,472

$1.46 MX$25.20

200.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 FCFA 2,046

$1.90 MX$32.87

91.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 FCFA 1,956

$2.08 MX$35.91

66.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 FCFA 2,011

$1.78 MX$30.71

100.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.56 FCFA 2,009

$2.19 MX$37.80

62.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.60 FCFA 2,031

$1.04 MX$17.99

246.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 FCFA 1,105

$1.08 MX$18.62

81.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 FCFA 1,452

$4.08 MX$70.6

-36.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 FCFA 6,620

$10.32 MX$178

13.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 FCFA 511

$1.71 MX$29.61

-46.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 FCFA 974

$2.58 MX$44.54

-32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 FCFA 513

$0.51 MX$8.81

78.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.43 FCFA 27.3K

$26.46 MX$458

83.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 FCFA 731

$3.26 MX$56.4

-60.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 FCFA 428

$2.49 MX$43.09

-69.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 FCFA 10.0K

$3.25 MX$56.2

446.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 FCFA 588

$1.31 MX$22.61

-20.61%

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

$30.5K FCFA 17.2M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

0.62%

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

$23.1K FCFA 13.0M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-1.33%

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

$86.9 FCFA 49.0K

$82.9 MX$1,433

4.86%

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

$34.91 FCFA 19.7K

$22.22 MX$384

57.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 FCFA 39.2K

$29.34 MX$507

136.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.8 FCFA 37.7K

$51.6 MX$893

29.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.14 FCFA 14.7K

$18.32 MX$317

42.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 FCFA 2,535

$5.07 MX$87.6

-11.24%

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

$179 FCFA 100.9K

$201 MX$3,473

-10.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,755 FCFA 3.2M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

10.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.1 FCFA 50.3K

$36.92 MX$639

141.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.72 FCFA 24.7K

$39.79 MX$688

9.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.5 FCFA 29.6K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-33.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 FCFA 60.7K

$87.1 MX$1,506

23.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 FCFA 655.5K

$973 MX$16.8K

19.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 FCFA 297.5K

$468 MX$8,090

12.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,600 FCFA 1.5M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

58.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 FCFA 563.4K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-18.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,593 FCFA 2.0M

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-8.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,870 FCFA 1.6M

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-55.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$435 FCFA 245.5K

$664 MX$11.5K

-34.44%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,162 in Libreville versus $973 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 53% 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 $80.0 in Libreville versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $400 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: $1,684 in Libreville, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 30% apart. Libreville costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,527 per month in Libreville and $1,945 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 $1,684 in Libreville and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 83% 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 $1,297, than in Libreville at $1,684. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $1,684 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.