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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $72.8 in Cabinda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,557 in Cabinda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,040 in Cabinda, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1692% more than Cabinda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cabinda are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cabinda 95% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$7.51 AOA 6,856

59.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$39.65 AOA 36.2K

19.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$1.02 AOA 935

37.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$1.65 AOA 1,508

-44.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.01 AOA 1,837

251.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

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

$25.19 MX$428

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

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

$226 MX$3,834

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$625 AOA 570.5K

73.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$2,775 AOA 2.5M

-53.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Cabinda: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $625 in Cabinda. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Cabinda. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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 Cabinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1692%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $109 in Cabinda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabinda, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $72.8 in Cabinda. 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 $40.00 in Cabinda. 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 Cabinda, where all-in costs run around $72.8, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Cabinda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cabinda – 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 Cabinda. 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.