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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $346 in Maroua versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $518 in Maroua versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $689 in Maroua versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Maroua costs roughly 73% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maroua 74% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 FCFA 999

$1.43 MX$24.80

24.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 FCFA 484

$1.88 MX$32.79

-54.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 FCFA 1,666

$1.63 MX$28.34

82.21%

Eggs

$2.75 FCFA 1,539

$2.64 MX$45.99

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.45 FCFA 3,051

$8.21 MX$143

-33.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 FCFA 2,913

$8.29 MX$144

-37.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.45 FCFA 1,931

$11.10 MX$193

-68.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 FCFA 1,008

$2.65 MX$46.14

-32.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 FCFA 511

$1.50 MX$26.11

-39.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 FCFA 500

$1.99 MX$34.59

-55.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 FCFA 966

$2.08 MX$36.13

-17.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 FCFA 1,501

$1.79 MX$31.11

49.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 FCFA 1,003

$2.18 MX$37.87

-17.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 FCFA 505

$1.04 MX$18.04

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 FCFA 6,573

$10.20 MX$178

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 FCFA 477

$1.73 MX$30.04

-50.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 FCFA 996

$2.50 MX$43.46

-28.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$52.0 FCFA 29.2K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-36.56%

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

$9.05 FCFA 5,068

$22.45 MX$391

-59.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 FCFA 9,843

$51.9 MX$903

-66.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.78 FCFA 1,000

$18.67 MX$325

-90.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 FCFA 48.8K

$465 MX$8,086

-81.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 FCFA 88.4K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-86.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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 Maroua: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

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

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

Maroua is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 272% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $519 in Maroua 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $346 per month in Maroua versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 272% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $346 in Maroua versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maroua but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Maroua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maroua is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Maroua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 272% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.