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 $1,029 per month in Ouagadougou vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Ouagadougou vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,307 per month in Ouagadougou vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ouagadougou is about 21% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 F CFA 2,925

$11.73 MX$203

-55.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.37 F CFA 13.2K

$41.62 MX$720

-43.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 F CFA 4,435

$10.64 MX$184

-26.13%

Cappuccino

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

$3.52 MX$60.9

-48.86%

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

$0.78 F CFA 443

$1.51 MX$26.12

-48.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 F CFA 328

$0.97 MX$16.84

-40.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 F CFA 607

$2.95 MX$51.0

-63.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 F CFA 1,020

$4.45 MX$77.0

-59.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 F CFA 1,575

$1.38 MX$23.93

102.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 F CFA 550

$1.89 MX$32.72

-48.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 F CFA 578

$1.64 MX$28.32

-37.20%

Eggs

$3.04 F CFA 1,713

$2.51 MX$43.34

21.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.65 F CFA 9,954

$8.34 MX$144

111.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.28 F CFA 12.0K

$8.34 MX$144

155.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 F CFA 7,143

$10.73 MX$186

18.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 F CFA 2,526

$2.60 MX$45.04

72.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 756

$1.46 MX$25.20

-8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 574

$1.90 MX$32.87

-46.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 F CFA 1,359

$2.08 MX$35.91

15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 F CFA 1,276

$1.78 MX$30.71

26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 F CFA 742

$2.19 MX$37.80

-39.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 F CFA 475

$1.04 MX$17.99

-19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 F CFA 737

$1.08 MX$18.62

21.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 F CFA 978

$4.08 MX$70.6

-57.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 F CFA 3,489

$10.32 MX$178

-40.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 695

$1.71 MX$29.61

-28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 F CFA 1,315

$2.58 MX$44.54

-9.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 F CFA 90.8

$0.51 MX$8.81

-68.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 F CFA 311

$3.26 MX$56.4

-83.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 F CFA 879

$2.49 MX$43.09

-37.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 F CFA 832

$1.31 MX$22.61

12.21%

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

$37.9K F CFA 21.4M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

25.05%

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

$36.7K F CFA 20.7M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

56.56%

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

$126 F CFA 71.3K

$82.9 MX$1,433

52.53%

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

$35.94 F CFA 20.3K

$22.22 MX$384

61.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.09 F CFA 27.7K

$29.34 MX$507

67.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 F CFA 34.8K

$51.6 MX$893

19.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.89 F CFA 5,014

$18.32 MX$317

-51.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 F CFA 5,123

$5.07 MX$87.6

79.09%

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

$131 F CFA 73.8K

$201 MX$3,473

-34.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K F CFA 9.9M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

236.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 F CFA 244.3K

$973 MX$16.8K

-55.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 F CFA 154.4K

$468 MX$8,090

-41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 F CFA 716.6K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-22.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 F CFA 431.2K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-37.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$889 F CFA 501.4K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-77.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$266 F CFA 150.0K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-95.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 F CFA 350.8K

$664 MX$11.5K

-6.32%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Ouagadougou versus $973 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 7% 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 $23.00 in Ouagadougou versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $350 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: $1,029 in Ouagadougou, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 26% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Ouagadougou and $1,945 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 $1,029 in Ouagadougou and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Ouagadougou and $201 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 $1,029, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $1,029 in Ouagadougou to $1,297 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.