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: $663 in Limbe versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $919 in Limbe versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,174 in Limbe versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Limbe costs roughly 47% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Limbe 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 FCFA 2,438

$11.72 MX$203

-63.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$1.09 FCFA 617

$3.59 MX$62.0

-69.64%

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

$1.63 FCFA 928

$1.51 MX$26.10

7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 FCFA 488

$0.92 MX$15.83

-6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 FCFA 1,020

$2.96 MX$51.2

-39.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 FCFA 1,537

$4.41 MX$76.3

-38.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 FCFA 1,495

$1.40 MX$24.16

87.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 FCFA 923

$1.56 MX$26.97

4.49%

Eggs

$2.07 FCFA 1,175

$2.61 MX$45.14

-20.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 FCFA 5,398

$8.32 MX$144

14.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 FCFA 2,881

$8.35 MX$145

-39.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 FCFA 3,603

$10.86 MX$188

-41.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 FCFA 1,095

$2.71 MX$46.93

-28.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 FCFA 645

$1.51 MX$26.04

-24.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 FCFA 1,077

$1.87 MX$32.41

1.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 FCFA 1,130

$2.19 MX$37.89

-9.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 FCFA 1,133

$1.86 MX$32.14

7.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 FCFA 490

$1.07 MX$18.48

-19.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 FCFA 1,023

$1.09 MX$18.79

65.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 FCFA 1,518

$4.19 MX$72.4

-36.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.65 FCFA 4,909

$10.43 MX$180

-17.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 FCFA 1,175

$1.66 MX$28.68

24.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 FCFA 1,526

$2.61 MX$45.19

3.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 FCFA 507

$0.54 MX$9.37

64.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.88 FCFA 15.3K

$26.16 MX$453

2.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 FCFA 313

$3.08 MX$53.3

-82.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 FCFA 113

$2.40 MX$41.61

-91.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 FCFA 1,021

$3.13 MX$54.1

-42.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 FCFA 683

$1.31 MX$22.69

-8.40%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$88.0 FCFA 50.0K

$81.3 MX$1,406

8.28%

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.9 FCFA 47.0K

$30.05 MX$520

175.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.06 FCFA 25.0K

$52.9 MX$915

-16.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 FCFA 2,487

$4.92 MX$85.1

-10.98%

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

$350 FCFA 198.6K

$201 MX$3,474

74.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,760 FCFA 999.0K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-65.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$113 FCFA 64.3K

$978 MX$16.9K

-88.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 FCFA 65.1K

$470 MX$8,140

-75.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 FCFA 203.2K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-78.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 FCFA 115.1K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-83.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $113 in Limbe and $978 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 90% in total monthly costs ($663 vs $1,260 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $995 in Limbe and $1,890 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 $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $350 in Limbe versus $201 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 3% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $663 in Limbe versus $1,260 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 90% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.