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 $1,031 per month in Ouagadougou vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,699 per month in Ouagadougou vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,367 per month in Ouagadougou vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ouagadougou is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ouagadougou and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ouagadougou 23% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 F CFA 3,102

$11.99 MX$209

-54.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.98 F CFA 13.8K

$41.78 MX$728

-42.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.06 F CFA 4,625

$10.75 MX$187

-25.02%

Cappuccino

$1.71 F CFA 983

$3.50 MX$60.9

-51.14%

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

$0.84 F CFA 485

$1.45 MX$25.22

-42.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 F CFA 333

$0.88 MX$15.41

-34.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 F CFA 593

$2.95 MX$51.3

-65.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 F CFA 1,037

$4.51 MX$78.6

-59.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 F CFA 1,570

$1.43 MX$24.94

90.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 F CFA 517

$1.84 MX$31.99

-51.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 585

$1.57 MX$27.31

-35.03%

Eggs

$3.07 F CFA 1,765

$2.51 MX$43.74

22.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 F CFA 10.0K

$8.28 MX$144

110.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.08 F CFA 12.1K

$8.43 MX$147

150.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 F CFA 7,101

$10.68 MX$186

15.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 F CFA 2,465

$2.61 MX$45.43

64.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 F CFA 815

$1.44 MX$25.04

-1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 F CFA 582

$1.96 MX$34.16

-48.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 F CFA 1,425

$2.09 MX$36.47

18.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 F CFA 1,242

$1.85 MX$32.24

16.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 F CFA 780

$2.17 MX$37.74

-37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 F CFA 484

$1.03 MX$17.96

-18.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 F CFA 776

$1.07 MX$18.70

26.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 F CFA 984

$4.10 MX$71.4

-58.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 F CFA 3,551

$10.17 MX$177

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 F CFA 745

$1.68 MX$29.17

-22.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 F CFA 1,336

$2.53 MX$43.98

-7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 F CFA 117

$0.51 MX$8.87

-60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 F CFA 294

$3.23 MX$56.3

-84.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 F CFA 923

$2.41 MX$41.88

-33.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 F CFA 839

$1.32 MX$23.00

10.61%

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

$37.3K F CFA 21.4M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

25.74%

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

$37.8K F CFA 21.7M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

59.54%

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

$127 F CFA 72.9K

$82.0 MX$1,428

54.86%

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

$35.50 F CFA 20.4K

$22.95 MX$400

54.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 F CFA 29.1K

$30.11 MX$524

68.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 F CFA 35.2K

$52.0 MX$905

17.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 F CFA 4,936

$18.53 MX$323

-53.59%

Cinema Ticket

$8.94 F CFA 5,134

$4.98 MX$86.6

79.52%

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

$135 F CFA 77.2K

$197 MX$3,438

-31.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K F CFA 10.2M

$5,336 MX$92.9K

231.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 F CFA 257.9K

$947 MX$16.5K

-52.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 F CFA 158.9K

$474 MX$8,254

-41.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 F CFA 734.6K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-22.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 F CFA 439.1K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-36.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$877 F CFA 503.8K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-78.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$260 F CFA 149.5K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-95.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$607 F CFA 348.7K

$654 MX$11.4K

-7.13%

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 Ouagadougou: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Ouagadougou versus $947 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 8% 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 $24.00 in Ouagadougou versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $346 in Ouagadougou vs $249 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: $1,031 in Ouagadougou, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 22% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Ouagadougou and $1,884 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 $1,031 in Ouagadougou and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $135 per month in Ouagadougou and $197 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 $1,031, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,031 in Ouagadougou to $1,256 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.