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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,944 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,866 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,789 in Brazzaville, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 35% cheaper than Brazzaville, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Brazzaville is 45% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$10.59 FCFA 5,982

12.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$36.58 FCFA 20.7K

17.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.98 FCFA 2,814

113.86%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.04 FCFA 2,281

-14.60%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.66 FCFA 936

-9.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.66 FCFA 938

-42.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$6.00 FCFA 3,386

-49.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.47 FCFA 1,393

86.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.12 FCFA 1,197

-34.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$4.74 FCFA 2,679

-60.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.01 FCFA 1,701

-46.51%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.90 FCFA 1,636

-10.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.74 FCFA 3,807

22.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.81 FCFA 2,715

74.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.31 FCFA 4,693

28.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.43 FCFA 1,374

8.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.60 FCFA 905

-6.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.57 FCFA 2,014

-46.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.52 FCFA 1,425

-17.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.87 FCFA 1,053

-0.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.26 FCFA 714

79.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.31 FCFA 737

-19.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.51 FCFA 289

113.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.31 FCFA 1,872

25.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$10.31 FCFA 5,822

0.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.62 FCFA 351

177.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.96 FCFA 1,104

33.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.25 FCFA 142

116.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$23.35 FCFA 13.2K

15.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.64 FCFA 925

90.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.05 FCFA 593

139.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.69 FCFA 3,777

-52.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.14 FCFA 644

11.40%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$29.9K FCFA 16.9M

1.49%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$27.6K FCFA 15.6M

-14.66%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$819 FCFA 462.7K

-89.87%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$16.58 FCFA 9,365

36.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$40.13 FCFA 22.7K

-26.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$41.56 FCFA 23.5K

22.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$20.34 FCFA 11.5K

-9.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.71 FCFA 3,227

-13.66%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$49.43 FCFA 27.9K

299.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,841 FCFA 5.0M

-40.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$56.7 FCFA 32.0K

-34.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$59.7 FCFA 33.7K

-33.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$101 FCFA 57.0K

-20.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$55.6 FCFA 31.4K

60.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$533 FCFA 301.2K

79.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$448 FCFA 252.8K

6.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$2,424 FCFA 1.4M

-32.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,328 FCFA 750.1K

-7.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$3,396 FCFA 1.9M

15.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$2,916 FCFA 1.6M

121.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$465 FCFA 262.4K

43.55%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Brazzaville: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $533 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 44% 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 $37.00 in Brazzaville. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $257 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 53% 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,916 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 $37.00 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,944 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 $1,271, than in Brazzaville at $1,944. 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 $1,271 versus $1,944 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.