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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $741 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,164 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,587 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 4% lower, Abomey-Calavi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$5.82 F CFA 3,266

105.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$26.01 F CFA 14.6K

64.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.22 F CFA 4,611

28.83%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.75 F CFA 2,666

-23.79%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.18 F CFA 660

24.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.79 F CFA 1,002

-47.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.75 F CFA 980

76.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$5.23 F CFA 2,932

-14.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.28 F CFA 1,277

-37.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.27 F CFA 153

596.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.00 F CFA 1,122

-18.50%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.96 F CFA 1,100

34.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$3.60 F CFA 2,021

128.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.03 F CFA 2,258

105.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.22 F CFA 3,487

78.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.27 F CFA 1,271

16.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.90 F CFA 503

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.69 F CFA 384

188.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.10 F CFA 1,181

-0.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.02 F CFA 570

75.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.83 F CFA 463

162.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.73 F CFA 408

47.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.90 F CFA 504

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$0.43 F CFA 239

823.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.08 F CFA 6,214

-7.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.96 F CFA 536

80.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.12 F CFA 628

123.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$7.57 F CFA 4,245

256.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.78 F CFA 998

76.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.56 F CFA 873

53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.26 F CFA 706

0.79%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$125 F CFA 70.0K

-34.28%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$20.02 F CFA 11.2K

12.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$89.7 F CFA 50.3K

-66.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$35.17 F CFA 19.7K

47.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.34 F CFA 2,996

249.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.16 F CFA 3,452

-19.32%

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$17.39 F CFA 9,754

108.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$8.60 F CFA 4,824

365.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$26.21 F CFA 14.7K

204.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$26.48 F CFA 14.9K

235.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$99.7 F CFA 55.9K

865.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$76.3 F CFA 42.8K

509.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$219 F CFA 122.8K

628.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$277 F CFA 155.3K

336.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$89.4 F CFA 50.2K

705.46%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $99.7 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 705% 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: $251 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,112 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $741 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 $741, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.