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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,011 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,933 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,854 in Brazzaville, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 36% cheaper than Brazzaville, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Brazzaville is 50% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$10.67 FCFA 5,984

11.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$36.46 FCFA 20.5K

17.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.16 FCFA 2,897

105.23%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.95 FCFA 2,215

-8.35%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.61 FCFA 900

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.65 FCFA 926

-43.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$5.88 FCFA 3,298

-47.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.47 FCFA 1,386

80.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.13 FCFA 1,193

-32.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$4.64 FCFA 2,604

-59.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.00 FCFA 1,680

-45.67%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.02 FCFA 1,693

-12.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.89 FCFA 3,865

19.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.82 FCFA 2,704

71.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.35 FCFA 4,682

32.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.41 FCFA 1,353

9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.68 FCFA 942

-10.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.74 FCFA 2,096

-46.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.59 FCFA 1,451

-19.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.89 FCFA 1,063

-5.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.27 FCFA 710

71.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.36 FCFA 764

-20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.51 FCFA 288

103.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.32 FCFA 1,860

19.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.32 FCFA 5,788

-1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.58 FCFA 325

198.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.01 FCFA 1,128

24.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.25 FCFA 141

108.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$23.54 FCFA 13.2K

14.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.62 FCFA 909

93.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.06 FCFA 597

126.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.56 FCFA 3,682

-52.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.18 FCFA 662

7.63%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$29.2K FCFA 16.4M

5.75%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.5K FCFA 15.4M

-15.10%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$809 FCFA 453.7K

-89.86%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$16.81 FCFA 9,429

33.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$40.45 FCFA 22.7K

-26.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$40.76 FCFA 22.9K

27.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$20.74 FCFA 11.6K

-9.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.61 FCFA 3,148

-11.41%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$49.19 FCFA 27.6K

302.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,658 FCFA 4.9M

-39.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$56.6 FCFA 31.8K

-35.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$59.3 FCFA 33.3K

-32.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$99.5 FCFA 55.8K

-19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$54.7 FCFA 30.7K

62.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$529 FCFA 296.7K

82.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$447 FCFA 250.6K

4.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,481 FCFA 1.4M

-35.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,347 FCFA 755.3K

-10.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$3,435 FCFA 1.9M

14.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$3,004 FCFA 1.7M

114.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$458 FCFA 256.9K

57.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.54

74.62%

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 Brazzaville: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $529 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 57% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Brazzaville. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $259 in Brazzaville – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 56% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,017 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $36.00 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $2,011 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 $1,287, than in Brazzaville at $2,011. 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 $1,287 versus $2,011 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.