Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Abomey-Calavi Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Abomey-Calavi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $746 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,157 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,568 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than Abomey-Calavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Abomey-Calavi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Abomey-Calavi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$5.82 F CFA 3,284

103.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$25.98 F CFA 14.7K

65.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.54 F CFA 4,821

24.71%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.75 F CFA 2,681

-27.37%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.14 F CFA 644

31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.81 F CFA 1,022

-47.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.72 F CFA 974

76.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$5.41 F CFA 3,057

-14.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.23 F CFA 1,258

-38.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.25 F CFA 141

640.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.05 F CFA 1,158

-21.46%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.03 F CFA 1,147

27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$3.56 F CFA 2,012

132.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.95 F CFA 2,230

111.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.34 F CFA 3,578

68.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.15 F CFA 1,213

22.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.89 F CFA 503

67.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.68 F CFA 385

182.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.13 F CFA 1,206

-1.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.94 F CFA 531

97.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.81 F CFA 455

179.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.74 F CFA 418

43.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.91 F CFA 516

19.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$0.45 F CFA 256

822.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$10.93 F CFA 6,174

-4.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.98 F CFA 556

75.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.12 F CFA 635

133.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$7.77 F CFA 4,388

246.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.71 F CFA 965

83.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.56 F CFA 879

60.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.22 F CFA 688

4.10%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$125 F CFA 70.4K

-33.37%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$20.23 F CFA 11.4K

12.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$89.1 F CFA 50.3K

-66.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$35.09 F CFA 19.8K

45.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$5.17 F CFA 2,917

254.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.10 F CFA 3,444

-19.18%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$17.72 F CFA 10.0K

108.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$8.60 F CFA 4,858

363.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$26.12 F CFA 14.8K

206.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$26.39 F CFA 14.9K

239.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$100 F CFA 56.7K

852.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$74.7 F CFA 42.2K

538.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$220 F CFA 124.2K

648.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$282 F CFA 159.2K

334.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$86.6 F CFA 48.9K

670.64%

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 Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $100 in Abomey-Calavi. 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 671% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $167 – making Abomey-Calavi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Abomey-Calavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,118 in Abomey-Calavi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abomey-Calavi, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $746 in Abomey-Calavi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abomey-Calavi, where all-in costs run around $746, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Abomey-Calavi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abomey-Calavi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Abomey-Calavi. 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.