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 $1,567 per month in Libreville vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Libreville vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,548 per month in Libreville vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Libreville costs about 20% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Libreville sits 14% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.92 FCFA 10.1K

$11.96 MX$203

49.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.1 FCFA 40.7K

$47.38 MX$805

52.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.86 FCFA 8,953

$11.75 MX$200

34.98%

Cappuccino

$6.34 FCFA 3,580

$4.12 MX$70.0

53.88%

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

$1.76 FCFA 992

$1.40 MX$23.77

25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 FCFA 847

$0.91 MX$15.50

64.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 FCFA 606

$3.21 MX$54.5

-66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 FCFA 1,078

$7.07 MX$120

-72.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 FCFA 1,754

$1.68 MX$28.48

85.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 FCFA 684

$2.15 MX$36.53

-43.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 FCFA 2,332

$1.77 MX$30.14

133.33%

Eggs

$5.60 FCFA 3,162

$2.82 MX$47.82

98.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 FCFA 5,935

$9.20 MX$156

14.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.82 FCFA 4,978

$9.23 MX$157

-4.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.81 FCFA 15.1K

$12.64 MX$215

112.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 FCFA 1,762

$2.95 MX$50.1

5.76%

Banana (1kg)

$4.09 FCFA 2,307

$1.58 MX$26.82

158.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 FCFA 2,039

$2.22 MX$37.76

62.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 FCFA 2,048

$2.36 MX$40.14

53.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 FCFA 1,788

$1.99 MX$33.85

59.30%

Onion (1kg)

$4.54 FCFA 2,564

$1.98 MX$33.62

129.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 FCFA 1,280

$1.24 MX$21.07

83.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 FCFA 941

$1.21 MX$20.58

38.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 FCFA 1,511

$4.60 MX$78.2

-41.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.77 FCFA 6,644

$10.52 MX$179

11.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 FCFA 534

$1.69 MX$28.74

-43.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 FCFA 736

$2.77 MX$47.13

-53.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 FCFA 516

$0.60 MX$10.24

51.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.61 FCFA 27.4K

$29.70 MX$505

63.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 FCFA 773

$5.24 MX$89.0

-73.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 FCFA 403

$3.65 MX$62.0

-80.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.39 FCFA 9,814

$5.78 MX$98.3

200.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 FCFA 650

$1.54 MX$26.13

-25.32%

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

$30.3K FCFA 17.1M

$22.8K MX$387.3K

32.68%

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

$23.0K FCFA 13.0M

$25.8K MX$438.5K

-10.72%

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

$89.8 FCFA 50.7K

$90.7 MX$1,540

-0.96%

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

$35.18 FCFA 19.9K

$25.19 MX$428

39.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 FCFA 37.6K

$31.75 MX$539

109.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 FCFA 37.1K

$68.8 MX$1,169

-4.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.47 FCFA 14.9K

$29.37 MX$499

-9.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 FCFA 2,593

$4.86 MX$82.6

-5.56%

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

$179 FCFA 101.3K

$226 MX$3,834

-20.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,689 FCFA 3.2M

$4,194 MX$71.2K

35.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 FCFA 50.5K

$47.38 MX$805

88.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.60 FCFA 24.6K

$43.45 MX$738

0.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.8 FCFA 30.4K

$80.2 MX$1,363

-32.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 FCFA 60.0K

$91.4 MX$1,552

16.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 FCFA 593.8K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 FCFA 250.7K

$409 MX$6,942

8.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,122 FCFA 1.2M

$1,972 MX$33.5K

7.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 FCFA 499.4K

$1,281 MX$21.8K

-30.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,592 FCFA 2.0M

$4,046 MX$68.7K

-11.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,816 FCFA 1.6M

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-57.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$443 FCFA 250.0K

$773 MX$13.1K

-42.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.45

0.44%

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

Last update for Libreville: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,052 in Libreville versus $1,086 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 75% 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 $72.0 in Libreville versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $278 – 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: $1,567 in Libreville, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 20% apart. Libreville costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,350 per month in Libreville and $1,958 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 $1,567 in Libreville and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 64% 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 $1,305, than in Libreville at $1,567. 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $1,567 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.