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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $642 in Limbe versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $902 in Limbe versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,162 in Limbe versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Limbe costs roughly 50% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Limbe 52% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 FCFA 2,498

$11.73 MX$202

-62.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

Cappuccino

$1.08 FCFA 610

$3.61 MX$62.1

-70.08%

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

$1.61 FCFA 908

$1.46 MX$25.06

10.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 FCFA 486

$0.97 MX$16.70

-11.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 FCFA 1,018

$2.92 MX$50.3

-38.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 FCFA 1,502

$4.62 MX$79.5

-42.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.70 FCFA 1,527

$1.43 MX$24.59

88.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 FCFA 946

$1.57 MX$26.95

7.01%

Eggs

$2.09 FCFA 1,178

$2.64 MX$45.34

-20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 FCFA 5,356

$8.44 MX$145

12.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 FCFA 2,857

$8.58 MX$148

-41.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.32 FCFA 3,570

$11.00 MX$189

-42.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 FCFA 1,076

$2.70 MX$46.51

-29.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 FCFA 647

$1.51 MX$25.92

-23.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 FCFA 1,076

$1.91 MX$32.93

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 FCFA 1,074

$2.17 MX$37.37

-12.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 FCFA 1,105

$1.87 MX$32.25

4.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 FCFA 514

$1.08 MX$18.60

-15.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 FCFA 979

$1.07 MX$18.47

61.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 FCFA 1,481

$4.16 MX$71.6

-37.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 FCFA 1,157

$1.68 MX$28.95

22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 FCFA 1,538

$2.53 MX$43.59

7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 FCFA 472

$0.55 MX$9.53

52.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.24 FCFA 14.8K

$26.29 MX$452

-0.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 FCFA 310

$3.20 MX$55.0

-82.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 FCFA 102

$2.46 MX$42.37

-92.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 FCFA 969

$3.20 MX$55.0

-46.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 FCFA 675

$1.32 MX$22.72

-9.09%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

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

$88.8 FCFA 50.1K

$81.4 MX$1,400

9.16%

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

$22.41 MX$386

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.3 FCFA 46.4K

$29.97 MX$516

174.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.56 FCFA 25.2K

$51.6 MX$887

-13.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 FCFA 2,420

$5.16 MX$88.9

-16.86%

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

$355 FCFA 200.4K

$202 MX$3,471

75.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,792 FCFA 1.0M

$5,311 MX$91.4K

-66.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$113 FCFA 63.6K

$950 MX$16.3K

-88.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 FCFA 64.4K

$478 MX$8,227

-76.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 FCFA 201.8K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-77.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 FCFA 112.8K

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-83.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Limbe: June 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $113 in Limbe and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

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

Limbe and Playa del Carmen differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($642 vs $1,294 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $962 in Limbe and $1,941 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: $113 in Limbe versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $355 in Limbe versus $202 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Limbe runs roughly 0% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $642 in Limbe versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Limbe but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Limbe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Limbe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.