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: $1,062 in N'Djamena versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,424 in N'Djamena versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in N'Djamena versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in N'Djamena costs roughly 18% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.02 FCFA 5,090

$11.73 MX$203

-23.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$0.86 FCFA 483

$3.52 MX$60.8

-75.57%

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

$0.92 FCFA 517

$1.51 MX$26.09

-39.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 FCFA 515

$0.97 MX$16.82

-6.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 FCFA 735

$2.95 MX$51.0

-55.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 FCFA 983

$4.45 MX$77.0

-60.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.66 FCFA 2,067

$1.38 MX$23.90

165.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.36 FCFA 206

$1.89 MX$32.69

-80.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 FCFA 2,031

$1.64 MX$28.29

119.51%

Eggs

$2.17 FCFA 1,222

$2.51 MX$43.30

-13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.52 FCFA 1,984

$8.34 MX$144

-57.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 FCFA 4,018

$8.34 MX$144

-14.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.80 FCFA 2,144

$10.73 MX$185

-64.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 FCFA 2,666

$2.60 MX$45.00

81.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 FCFA 1,229

$1.46 MX$25.18

49.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 FCFA 1,525

$1.90 MX$32.84

42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 FCFA 1,391

$2.08 MX$35.88

18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 FCFA 948

$1.78 MX$30.68

-5.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 FCFA 944

$2.19 MX$37.76

-23.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 FCFA 292

$1.04 MX$17.97

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 FCFA 1,187

$1.08 MX$18.60

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.00 FCFA 563

$4.08 MX$70.5

-75.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 FCFA 4,510

$10.32 MX$178

-22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 FCFA 765

$1.71 MX$29.59

-20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 FCFA 967

$2.58 MX$44.50

-33.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 FCFA 241

$0.51 MX$8.81

-15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.2 FCFA 49.2K

$26.46 MX$457

229.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 FCFA 241

$3.26 MX$56.4

-86.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 FCFA 215

$2.49 MX$43.05

-84.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 FCFA 2,975

$3.25 MX$56.1

62.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 FCFA 644

$1.31 MX$22.59

-12.98%

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

$12.3K FCFA 6.9M

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-59.39%

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

$11.2K FCFA 6.3M

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-52.36%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

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

$26.00 FCFA 14.7K

$22.22 MX$384

17.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$437 FCFA 246.9K

$29.34 MX$507

1391.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

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

$201 MX$3,470

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.69 FCFA 15.1K

$36.92 MX$638

-27.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.78 FCFA 20.2K

$39.79 MX$688

-10.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.02 FCFA 24.8K

$78.5 MX$1,356

-43.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 FCFA 50.0K

$87.1 MX$1,505

1.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 FCFA 847.3K

$973 MX$16.8K

54.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.7 FCFA 49.5K

$468 MX$8,082

-81.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 FCFA 151.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-83.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 FCFA 98.1K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-85.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$351 FCFA 198.1K

$664 MX$11.5K

-47.12%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,501 in N'Djamena and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 89% 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 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 89% less. 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: $1,501 in N'Djamena versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% 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 229% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,062 in N'Djamena versus $1,297 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 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.