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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,890 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,785 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,680 in Brazzaville, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than Brazzaville, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Brazzaville is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$8.58 FCFA 4,809

51.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$26.05 FCFA 14.6K

77.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$5.19 FCFA 2,907

142.58%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$4.02 FCFA 2,252

-0.50%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.54 FCFA 863

-7.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$1.54 FCFA 862

-47.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$5.66 FCFA 3,172

-46.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$3.86 FCFA 2,166

76.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$2.31 FCFA 1,295

-25.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$5.06 FCFA 2,839

-56.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$3.25 FCFA 1,821

-47.08%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.99 FCFA 1,678

-9.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$6.87 FCFA 3,855

36.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.66 FCFA 2,614

90.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$8.59 FCFA 4,819

48.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$2.41 FCFA 1,350

29.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.81 FCFA 1,015

-14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$3.76 FCFA 2,107

-42.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$2.63 FCFA 1,476

-10.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.82 FCFA 1,021

10.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.26 FCFA 708

57.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.32 FCFA 739

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$3.34 FCFA 1,873

39.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$10.38 FCFA 5,819

0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.25 FCFA 140

124.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$23.75 FCFA 13.3K

25.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$1.81 FCFA 1,014

193.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$1.09 FCFA 610

241.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$7.14 FCFA 4,006

-19.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.32 FCFA 740

17.42%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$28.8K FCFA 16.2M

-22.43%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$27.4K FCFA 15.4M

-6.82%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$828 FCFA 464.5K

-89.22%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$17.01 FCFA 9,539

36.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$44.07 FCFA 24.7K

-28.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$26.43 FCFA 14.8K

160.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$14.23 FCFA 7,982

106.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$5.68 FCFA 3,186

-10.92%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$52.4 FCFA 29.4K

323.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$78.8 FCFA 44.2K

-41.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$557 FCFA 312.2K

92.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$462 FCFA 258.9K

-14.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$2,539 FCFA 1.4M

-21.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$1,504 FCFA 843.3K

-13.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$3,425 FCFA 1.9M

17.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$2,990 FCFA 1.7M

121.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$460 FCFA 257.7K

62.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

6.54

77.37%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Brazzaville: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $557 in Brazzaville. 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 63% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Brazzaville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $253 – making Brazzaville 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 Brazzaville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brazzaville costs about 42% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,835 in Brazzaville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen and $26.00 in Brazzaville. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $1,890 in Brazzaville. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Brazzaville at $1,890. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brazzaville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,330 versus $1,890 in Brazzaville. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brazzaville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.