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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $744 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,164 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,584 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 7% lower, Abomey-Calavi 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.55 F CFA 3,174

109.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$26.00 F CFA 14.9K

81.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.13 F CFA 4,647

46.13%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.89 F CFA 2,793

-18.61%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.12 F CFA 638

27.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.75 F CFA 998

-53.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.81 F CFA 1,034

76.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.25 F CFA 3,002

29.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.16 F CFA 1,237

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.25 F CFA 142

780.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.07 F CFA 1,184

-17.39%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.06 F CFA 1,177

33.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$3.55 F CFA 2,027

169.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.86 F CFA 2,207

133.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.14 F CFA 3,511

108.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.16 F CFA 1,233

33.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.92 F CFA 526

63.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.67 F CFA 382

220.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.05 F CFA 1,173

10.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.94 F CFA 536

110.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.82 F CFA 468

142.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.67 F CFA 383

83.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.90 F CFA 515

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$0.42 F CFA 243

983.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$11.05 F CFA 6,317

-6.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.99 F CFA 567

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.17 F CFA 667

146.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$7.69 F CFA 4,396

274.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.74 F CFA 992

209.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.75 F CFA 998

113.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.24 F CFA 709

24.19%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$121 F CFA 69.4K

-24.76%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$20.29 F CFA 11.6K

24.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$89.5 F CFA 51.1K

-65.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$35.48 F CFA 20.3K

89.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$5.25 F CFA 3,001

454.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$6.12 F CFA 3,497

-20.59%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$17.53 F CFA 10.0K

168.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$8.88 F CFA 5,075

398.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$26.47 F CFA 15.1K

202.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$26.31 F CFA 15.0K

252.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$103 F CFA 59.0K

929.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$76.1 F CFA 43.5K

412.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$220 F CFA 125.5K

878.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$283 F CFA 161.6K

349.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$89.3 F CFA 51.0K

748.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $103 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 749% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $166 – 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,116 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $744 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 $47.00 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 $744, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.