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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $725 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,163 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,601 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 74% 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

$11.72 MX$203

$5.67 F CFA 3,219

106.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$26.69 F CFA 15.2K

56.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.50 F CFA 4,824

23.65%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.99 F CFA 2,835

-28.06%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.18 F CFA 670

27.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.79 F CFA 1,017

-48.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.81 F CFA 1,025

63.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$5.42 F CFA 3,077

-18.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.18 F CFA 1,238

-35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.25 F CFA 141

652.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.06 F CFA 1,169

-24.27%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.00 F CFA 1,134

30.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$3.56 F CFA 2,022

133.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.01 F CFA 2,277

108.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.36 F CFA 3,610

70.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.26 F CFA 1,282

19.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.84 F CFA 476

79.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.73 F CFA 415

156.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.16 F CFA 1,228

1.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.94 F CFA 536

97.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.82 F CFA 464

171.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.73 F CFA 412

46.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.91 F CFA 516

19.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$0.43 F CFA 243

874.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$10.95 F CFA 6,219

-4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.95 F CFA 541

74.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.12 F CFA 634

133.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$7.86 F CFA 4,460

232.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.73 F CFA 984

78.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.63 F CFA 924

47.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.25 F CFA 707

4.80%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$123 F CFA 69.8K

-33.84%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$20.08 F CFA 11.4K

12.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$89.4 F CFA 50.8K

-66.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$35.39 F CFA 20.1K

49.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$5.19 F CFA 2,946

254.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.34 F CFA 3,602

-22.40%

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$17.37 F CFA 9,861

106.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$8.87 F CFA 5,034

352.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$26.05 F CFA 14.8K

205.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$26.03 F CFA 14.8K

232.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$101 F CFA 57.5K

865.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$74.3 F CFA 42.2K

533.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$225 F CFA 127.5K

635.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$282 F CFA 160.1K

326.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$85.4 F CFA 48.5K

692.59%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $101 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 693% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $168 – 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 74%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,088 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $725 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $27.00 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 $725, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.