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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $590 in Lome versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,024 in Lome versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,458 in Lome versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lome costs roughly 55% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lome 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 F CFA 1,743

$11.96 MX$203

-74.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.15 F CFA 18.2K

$47.38 MX$804

-32.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 F CFA 3,186

$11.75 MX$199

-52.00%

Cappuccino

$6.16 F CFA 3,481

$4.12 MX$70.0

49.51%

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

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

$1.40 MX$23.74

205.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 F CFA 415

$0.91 MX$15.48

-18.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 F CFA 527

$3.21 MX$54.4

-71.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 F CFA 1,010

$7.07 MX$120

-74.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 F CFA 1,291

$1.68 MX$28.44

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 F CFA 762

$2.15 MX$36.48

-37.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 F CFA 859

$1.77 MX$30.10

-14.12%

Eggs

$2.02 F CFA 1,139

$2.82 MX$47.76

-28.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 F CFA 3,288

$12.64 MX$214

-53.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 F CFA 1,774

$2.95 MX$50.1

6.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 F CFA 991

$1.58 MX$26.79

10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 F CFA 1,481

$2.36 MX$40.09

11.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 F CFA 977

$1.99 MX$33.81

-13.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 F CFA 692

$1.98 MX$33.58

-38.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 520

$1.21 MX$20.55

-23.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 F CFA 2,783

$10.52 MX$178

-53.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 F CFA 658

$1.69 MX$28.70

-31.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 F CFA 827

$2.77 MX$47.06

-47.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 F CFA 681

$3.65 MX$61.9

-67.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 F CFA 2,497

$5.78 MX$98.1

-23.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 F CFA 671

$1.54 MX$26.09

-22.73%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$148 F CFA 83.8K

$90.7 MX$1,538

63.58%

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

$22.34 F CFA 12.6K

$25.19 MX$427

-11.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 F CFA 24.9K

$31.75 MX$539

38.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 F CFA 34.8K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-10.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.01 F CFA 5,090

$29.37 MX$498

-69.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 F CFA 2,547

$4.86 MX$82.5

-7.20%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 F CFA 691.5K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-37.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 F CFA 170.3K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-76.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$309 F CFA 174.6K

$773 MX$13.1K

-60.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Lome: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 150% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Lome vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $145 vs $278 per month, with Lome cheaper across the board.

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

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

Lome wins on cost – living expenses run 121% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lome the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 150% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $590 per month in Lome versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 92% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $590 in Lome versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lome but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Lome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lome delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $590 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lome hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Lome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.