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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,325 in Abidjan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,172 in Abidjan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,020 in Abidjan.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 2% less than in Abidjan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Abidjan 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.45 F CFA 1,949

240.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$53.7 F CFA 30.3K

-22.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.66 F CFA 6,018

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.81 F CFA 1,021

94.48%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.86 F CFA 486

75.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.83 F CFA 468

16.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.03 F CFA 581

186.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.79 F CFA 1,009

148.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.34 F CFA 1,323

-41.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.62 F CFA 351

204.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.29 F CFA 728

27.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.29 F CFA 1,291

9.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$23.28 F CFA 13.1K

-64.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.59 F CFA 4,850

-2.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.24 F CFA 3,523

71.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.91 F CFA 2,205

-33.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.15 F CFA 647

26.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.20 F CFA 1,239

-13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.03 F CFA 1,146

2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.68 F CFA 950

5.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.75 F CFA 990

25.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.89 F CFA 502

16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.91 F CFA 512

18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.73 F CFA 974

135.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$6.25 F CFA 3,527

65.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.06 F CFA 596

61.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.42 F CFA 804

81.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.98 F CFA 555

-47.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$49.40 F CFA 27.9K

-46.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.74 F CFA 983

87.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.55 F CFA 874

60.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$26.56 F CFA 15.0K

-87.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.55 F CFA 876

-15.48%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$32.3K F CFA 18.2M

-6.21%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$29.8K F CFA 16.8M

-21.47%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$183 F CFA 103.1K

-54.64%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$36.19 F CFA 20.4K

-38.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$45.08 F CFA 25.4K

-34.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$80.6 F CFA 45.5K

-35.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.96 F CFA 12.4K

-16.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$8.91 F CFA 5,029

-43.10%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$285 F CFA 161.1K

-29.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,287 F CFA 1.9M

58.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$92.7 F CFA 52.3K

-60.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$57.9 F CFA 32.7K

-31.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$84.6 F CFA 47.8K

-7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$138 F CFA 77.7K

-36.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$623 F CFA 351.7K

56.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$399 F CFA 225.2K

17.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,880 F CFA 1.1M

-12.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$920 F CFA 519.3K

32.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,302 F CFA 1.3M

71.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$707 F CFA 399.1K

818.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$221 F CFA 124.8K

200.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.75

-22.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Abidjan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $623 in Abidjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 200% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $54.0 in Abidjan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $264 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 200% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $623 in Abidjan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $54.0 in Abidjan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,325 in Abidjan – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,325 in Abidjan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Abidjan. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Abidjan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Abidjan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.