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: $1,104 in N'Djamena versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,481 in N'Djamena versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,859 in N'Djamena versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in N'Djamena costs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: N'Djamena 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 FCFA 4,888

$11.71 MX$198

-25.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

Cappuccino

$0.90 FCFA 509

$4.09 MX$69.2

-78.00%

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

$0.87 FCFA 490

$1.37 MX$23.23

-36.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 FCFA 516

$0.83 MX$14.09

9.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 FCFA 764

$3.35 MX$56.7

-59.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 FCFA 1,020

$6.91 MX$117

-73.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.83 FCFA 2,160

$1.73 MX$29.20

121.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 FCFA 189

$2.26 MX$38.21

-85.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 FCFA 2,022

$1.77 MX$29.91

102.82%

Eggs

$2.09 FCFA 1,179

$2.73 MX$46.19

-23.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.49 FCFA 1,966

$9.18 MX$155

-61.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 FCFA 4,098

$8.92 MX$151

-18.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.78 FCFA 2,132

$12.60 MX$213

-70.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 FCFA 2,688

$3.02 MX$51.1

57.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 FCFA 1,256

$1.57 MX$26.55

42.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 FCFA 1,543

$2.13 MX$35.93

28.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 FCFA 1,438

$2.26 MX$38.28

12.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 FCFA 956

$2.00 MX$33.88

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 FCFA 921

$2.06 MX$34.90

-20.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 FCFA 314

$1.18 MX$19.94

-52.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 FCFA 1,223

$1.20 MX$20.35

80.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.04 FCFA 588

$4.63 MX$78.4

-77.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 FCFA 4,571

$10.69 MX$181

-24.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 FCFA 694

$1.62 MX$27.38

-24.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 FCFA 1,024

$2.88 MX$48.70

-36.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 FCFA 239

$0.57 MX$9.69

-26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.2 FCFA 49.1K

$29.83 MX$504

192.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 FCFA 259

$5.45 MX$92.1

-91.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 FCFA 239

$3.70 MX$62.6

-88.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 FCFA 2,945

$5.98 MX$101

-12.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 FCFA 766

$1.55 MX$26.26

-12.26%

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

$12.3K FCFA 7.0M

$22.3K MX$377.4K

-44.70%

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

$11.4K FCFA 6.4M

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-56.15%

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

$44.61 FCFA 25.1K

$89.1 MX$1,507

-49.95%

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

$26.91 FCFA 15.2K

$25.04 MX$423

7.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$446 FCFA 251.6K

$31.50 MX$532

1317.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.65 FCFA 15.0K

$47.44 MX$802

-43.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 FCFA 19.6K

$44.98 MX$760

-22.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.38 FCFA 25.0K

$82.0 MX$1,386

-45.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 FCFA 49.1K

$92.1 MX$1,557

-5.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,742 FCFA 981.8K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

62.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.0 FCFA 50.2K

$405 MX$6,852

-78.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 FCFA 147.9K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-86.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 FCFA 98.0K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-86.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$357 FCFA 201.3K

$749 MX$12.7K

-52.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.45

-69.43%

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

Last update for N'Djamena: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,742 in N'Djamena and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 110% 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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 110% 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: $1,742 in N'Djamena versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% 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 192% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,104 in N'Djamena versus $1,293 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 17% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.