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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,228 per month in Ouagadougou vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,025 per month in Ouagadougou vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,823 per month in Ouagadougou vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ouagadougou is about 6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ouagadougou and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ouagadougou 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.41 F CFA 4,188

$11.96 MX$203

-38.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.85 F CFA 15.2K

$47.38 MX$804

-43.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 F CFA 4,274

$11.75 MX$199

-35.66%

Cappuccino

$2.11 F CFA 1,192

$4.12 MX$70.0

-48.79%

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

$1.13 F CFA 639

$1.40 MX$23.74

-19.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 F CFA 619

$0.91 MX$15.48

20.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 F CFA 693

$3.21 MX$54.4

-61.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 F CFA 1,462

$7.07 MX$120

-63.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 F CFA 1,153

$1.68 MX$28.44

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 F CFA 639

$2.15 MX$36.48

-47.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 F CFA 494

$1.77 MX$30.10

-50.85%

Eggs

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

$2.82 MX$47.76

-7.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.51 F CFA 9,894

$9.20 MX$156

90.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.94 F CFA 11.8K

$9.23 MX$157

126.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 F CFA 8,896

$12.64 MX$214

24.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 F CFA 2,759

$2.95 MX$50.1

65.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 F CFA 1,963

$2.22 MX$37.70

56.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 F CFA 2,193

$2.36 MX$40.09

64.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 F CFA 899

$1.99 MX$33.81

-20.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 F CFA 1,015

$1.98 MX$33.58

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 F CFA 772

$1.24 MX$21.04

10.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 F CFA 780

$1.21 MX$20.55

14.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.39 F CFA 786

$4.60 MX$78.1

-69.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 F CFA 3,519

$10.52 MX$178

-40.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 F CFA 817

$1.69 MX$28.70

-14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 F CFA 1,486

$2.77 MX$47.06

-5.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 F CFA 114

$0.60 MX$10.22

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 F CFA 288

$5.24 MX$88.8

-90.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 F CFA 496

$3.65 MX$61.9

-75.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 F CFA 4,966

$5.78 MX$98.1

52.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 F CFA 844

$1.54 MX$26.09

-3.25%

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

$38.6K F CFA 21.8M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

69.49%

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

$32.2K F CFA 18.2M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

24.63%

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

$184 F CFA 103.9K

$90.7 MX$1,538

102.85%

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

$26.98 F CFA 15.2K

$25.19 MX$427

7.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 F CFA 31.2K

$31.75 MX$539

73.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 F CFA 34.9K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-10.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.68 F CFA 4,907

$29.37 MX$498

-70.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 F CFA 3,923

$4.86 MX$82.5

42.80%

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

$36.13 F CFA 20.4K

$226 MX$3,828

-83.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,178 F CFA 3.5M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

47.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.07 F CFA 19.8K

$47.38 MX$804

-25.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 F CFA 30.3K

$43.45 MX$737

23.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 F CFA 50.9K

$80.2 MX$1,361

12.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 F CFA 59.9K

$91.4 MX$1,550

16.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 F CFA 196.3K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-68.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 F CFA 134.2K

$409 MX$6,933

-41.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 F CFA 790.2K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-29.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 F CFA 427.3K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-40.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$887 F CFA 501.1K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-78.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$261 F CFA 147.5K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-96.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$612 F CFA 345.7K

$773 MX$13.1K

-20.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.80%

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

Last update for Ouagadougou: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $347 in Ouagadougou versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Ouagadougou versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $363 in Ouagadougou vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,228 in Ouagadougou, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 6% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,842 per month in Ouagadougou and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ouagadougou, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,228 in Ouagadougou and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $36.13 per month in Ouagadougou and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ouagadougou, where all-in costs run around $1,228, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Ouagadougou 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 $1,228 in Ouagadougou to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ouagadougou. 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.