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: $644 in Limbe versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $894 in Limbe versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,144 in Limbe versus $3,082 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 FCFA 2,485

$11.94 MX$209

-62.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$1.07 FCFA 602

$3.62 MX$63.4

-70.44%

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

$1.55 FCFA 867

$1.47 MX$25.69

5.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 FCFA 486

$0.94 MX$16.51

-7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 FCFA 974

$3.09 MX$54.1

-43.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 FCFA 1,449

$4.46 MX$78.0

-42.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 FCFA 1,465

$1.43 MX$24.94

82.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 FCFA 932

$1.63 MX$28.50

1.84%

Eggs

$2.16 FCFA 1,214

$2.64 MX$46.26

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.79 FCFA 5,491

$8.21 MX$144

19.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 FCFA 2,843

$8.29 MX$145

-38.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 FCFA 3,693

$11.10 MX$194

-40.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 FCFA 1,071

$2.65 MX$46.40

-27.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 FCFA 641

$1.50 MX$26.26

-24.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 FCFA 1,107

$1.99 MX$34.79

-1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 FCFA 1,081

$2.08 MX$36.33

-7.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 FCFA 1,060

$1.79 MX$31.29

5.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FCFA 516

$1.08 MX$18.84

-14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 FCFA 961

$1.04 MX$18.15

64.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 FCFA 1,467

$3.97 MX$69.5

-34.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 FCFA 1,122

$1.73 MX$30.22

15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 FCFA 1,512

$2.50 MX$43.71

8.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 FCFA 485

$0.52 MX$9.07

67.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.10 FCFA 14.6K

$26.97 MX$472

-3.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 FCFA 288

$3.14 MX$55.0

-83.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 FCFA 110

$2.40 MX$42.04

-91.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 FCFA 968

$3.09 MX$54.0

-44.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 FCFA 647

$1.27 MX$22.28

-9.45%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$88.1 FCFA 49.4K

$82.0 MX$1,435

7.38%

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.0 FCFA 47.7K

$29.66 MX$519

186.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.31 FCFA 24.9K

$51.9 MX$908

-14.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 FCFA 2,440

$4.97 MX$87.0

-12.47%

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

$358 FCFA 201.0K

$198 MX$3,462

81.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,764 FCFA 989.2K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-66.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 FCFA 65.5K

$963 MX$16.9K

-87.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 FCFA 62.1K

$465 MX$8,133

-76.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 FCFA 194.0K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-78.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 FCFA 113.0K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-83.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$233 FCFA 130.9K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-96.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Limbe and $963 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 100% in total monthly costs ($644 vs $1,287 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $966 in Limbe and $1,930 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: $117 in Limbe versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $358 in Limbe versus $198 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 $644 in Limbe versus $1,287 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 100% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.