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 $678 per month in Malabo vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,146 per month in Malabo vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,613 per month in Malabo vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Malabo is about 48% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malabo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Malabo 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 FCFA 4,927

$11.71 MX$198

-25.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 FCFA 40.0K

$46.59 MX$786

52.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 FCFA 4,994

$11.65 MX$197

-24.03%

Cappuccino

$4.80 FCFA 2,710

$4.09 MX$69.1

17.36%

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

$0.85 FCFA 481

$1.37 MX$23.20

-37.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 FCFA 256

$0.83 MX$14.07

-45.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 FCFA 1,015

$3.35 MX$56.6

-46.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$2.90 FCFA 1,636

$1.73 MX$29.15

67.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 FCFA 993

$1.77 MX$29.86

-0.56%

Eggs

$4.00 FCFA 2,258

$2.73 MX$46.12

46.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 FCFA 3,701

$9.18 MX$155

-28.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 FCFA 3,459

$8.92 MX$151

-31.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 FCFA 4,121

$12.60 MX$213

-42.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 FCFA 1,384

$3.02 MX$51.0

-18.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 FCFA 984

$1.57 MX$26.51

10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 FCFA 2,481

$4.63 MX$78.2

-4.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 FCFA 798

$1.62 MX$27.33

-12.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 FCFA 519

$2.88 MX$48.63

-68.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 FCFA 1,011

$0.57 MX$9.68

214.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.36 FCFA 14.9K

$29.83 MX$503

-11.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 FCFA 491

$5.45 MX$91.9

-84.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 FCFA 513

$3.70 MX$62.5

-75.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 FCFA 4,887

$5.98 MX$101

44.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

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

$33.2K FCFA 18.7M

$22.3K MX$376.8K

48.57%

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

$30.0K FCFA 16.9M

$25.9K MX$438.0K

15.66%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

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

$17.67 FCFA 9,973

$25.04 MX$423

-29.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.92 FCFA 10.1K

$31.50 MX$532

-43.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.99 FCFA 20.3K

$67.8 MX$1,144

-46.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.58 FCFA 8,231

$28.92 MX$488

-49.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 FCFA 3,057

$5.05 MX$85.2

7.33%

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

$225 MX$3,797

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$359 FCFA 202.6K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

-91.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 FCFA 130.9K

$405 MX$6,842

-42.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 FCFA 196.4K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-82.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 FCFA 164.3K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-77.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$841 FCFA 474.8K

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-78.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$656 FCFA 370.4K

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-90.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

11.45

-40.61%

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

Last update for Malabo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Malabo versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $156 in Malabo vs $277 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: $678 in Malabo, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 91% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,017 per month in Malabo and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 13% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 78% 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 $678, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $678 in Malabo to $1,293 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.