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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $605 per month in Malabo vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,254 per month in Malabo vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Malabo vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Malabo is about 53% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malabo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Malabo 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 FCFA 39.1K

$41.62 MX$720

66.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 FCFA 4,883

$10.64 MX$184

-18.61%

Cappuccino

$5.30 FCFA 2,989

$3.52 MX$60.9

50.57%

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

$0.89 FCFA 505

$1.51 MX$26.12

-41.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 FCFA 510

$0.97 MX$16.84

-7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 FCFA 1,572

$1.38 MX$23.93

102.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

Eggs

$4.27 FCFA 2,409

$2.51 MX$43.34

70.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 FCFA 3,857

$8.34 MX$144

-17.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 FCFA 3,854

$8.34 MX$144

-18.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 FCFA 4,030

$10.73 MX$186

-33.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 FCFA 525

$1.04 MX$17.99

-10.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 FCFA 693

$1.08 MX$18.62

13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 FCFA 2,611

$4.08 MX$70.6

13.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 FCFA 814

$1.71 MX$29.61

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 FCFA 753

$0.51 MX$8.81

160.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.60 FCFA 15.0K

$26.46 MX$458

0.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 FCFA 513

$3.26 MX$56.4

-72.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 FCFA 452

$2.49 MX$43.09

-67.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 FCFA 5,063

$3.25 MX$56.2

176.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

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

$33.0K FCFA 18.6M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

8.99%

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

$29.3K FCFA 16.5M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

24.85%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$17.40 FCFA 9,811

$22.22 MX$384

-21.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.32 FCFA 9,768

$29.34 MX$507

-40.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.03 FCFA 19.8K

$51.6 MX$893

-32.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 FCFA 8,396

$18.32 MX$317

-18.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 FCFA 3,138

$5.07 MX$87.6

9.66%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$359 FCFA 202.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-93.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.93 FCFA 15.2K

$36.92 MX$639

-27.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$132 FCFA 74.2K

$39.79 MX$688

230.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 FCFA 50.7K

$87.1 MX$1,506

3.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 FCFA 150.0K

$973 MX$16.8K

-72.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 FCFA 69.4K

$468 MX$8,090

-73.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 FCFA 539.2K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-41.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 FCFA 294.3K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-57.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$847 FCFA 477.4K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-78.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$634 FCFA 357.8K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-90.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

11.42

-40.46%

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

Last update for Malabo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Malabo versus $973 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Malabo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $147 in Malabo vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Malabo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $605 in Malabo, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 114% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $907 per month in Malabo and $1,945 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 Malabo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 70% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malabo, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Malabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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 $605 in Malabo to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Malabo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.