Cost of Living Comparison Between N'Djamena and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between N'Djamena and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,057 in N'Djamena versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,452 in N'Djamena versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,847 in N'Djamena versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in N'Djamena costs roughly 16% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: N'Djamena 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.78 FCFA 5,042

$11.99 MX$209

-26.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

Cappuccino

$0.91 FCFA 522

$3.50 MX$60.9

-74.00%

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

$0.92 FCFA 525

$1.45 MX$25.22

-36.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 FCFA 514

$0.88 MX$15.41

2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 FCFA 766

$2.95 MX$51.3

-54.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 FCFA 1,023

$4.51 MX$78.6

-60.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.79 FCFA 2,175

$1.43 MX$24.94

165.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 FCFA 194

$1.84 MX$31.99

-81.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 FCFA 2,065

$1.57 MX$27.31

129.30%

Eggs

$2.16 FCFA 1,239

$2.51 MX$43.74

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.60 FCFA 2,069

$8.28 MX$144

-56.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 FCFA 4,000

$8.43 MX$147

-17.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.63 FCFA 2,086

$10.68 MX$186

-66.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 FCFA 2,759

$2.61 MX$45.43

84.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 FCFA 1,233

$1.44 MX$25.04

49.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 FCFA 1,528

$1.96 MX$34.16

35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 FCFA 1,471

$2.09 MX$36.47

22.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 FCFA 931

$1.85 MX$32.24

-12.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 FCFA 955

$2.17 MX$37.74

-23.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 FCFA 312

$1.03 MX$17.96

-47.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 FCFA 1,208

$1.07 MX$18.70

96.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.99 FCFA 570

$4.10 MX$71.4

-75.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 FCFA 4,582

$10.17 MX$177

-21.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 FCFA 784

$1.68 MX$29.17

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 FCFA 992

$2.53 MX$43.98

-31.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 FCFA 259

$0.51 MX$8.87

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.8 FCFA 49.8K

$26.04 MX$453

233.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 FCFA 264

$3.23 MX$56.3

-85.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 FCFA 236

$2.41 MX$41.88

-82.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 FCFA 3,052

$3.23 MX$56.2

64.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 FCFA 633

$1.32 MX$23.00

-16.67%

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

$12.1K FCFA 7.0M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-59.17%

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

$11.2K FCFA 6.4M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-52.59%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

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

$26.26 FCFA 15.1K

$22.95 MX$400

14.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$440 FCFA 252.5K

$30.11 MX$524

1360.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.97 FCFA 14.9K

$35.60 MX$620

-27.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.32 FCFA 20.3K

$40.33 MX$702

-12.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.78 FCFA 25.7K

$78.8 MX$1,371

-43.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 FCFA 50.9K

$88.9 MX$1,549

-0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 FCFA 849.4K

$947 MX$16.5K

56.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.6 FCFA 51.4K

$474 MX$8,254

-81.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 FCFA 149.7K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-84.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 FCFA 99.6K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-85.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 FCFA 197.1K

$654 MX$11.4K

-47.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.42

-69.35%

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

Last update for N'Djamena: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,479 in N'Djamena and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 91% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

N'Djamena vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

N'Djamena is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 91% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,479 in N'Djamena versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

A monthly transit pass in N'Djamena runs roughly 233% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,057 in N'Djamena versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in N'Djamena but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes N'Djamena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, N'Djamena 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 N'Djamena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.