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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $963 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,414 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,866 in Cotonou.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 32% more expensive than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cotonou 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.59 F CFA 2,029

230.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$26.52 F CFA 15.0K

61.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.31 F CFA 3,000

100.56%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$5.58 F CFA 3,150

-38.17%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.92 F CFA 522

63.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.77 F CFA 436

23.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.44 F CFA 811

110.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.50 F CFA 1,975

31.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

-46.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.43 F CFA 805

29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.92 F CFA 1,084

-16.15%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.27 F CFA 1,282

14.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.29 F CFA 5,249

-11.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.07 F CFA 2,864

65.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$5.09 F CFA 2,875

109.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$4.02 F CFA 2,271

-34.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.43 F CFA 810

4.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.26 F CFA 711

52.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.77 F CFA 998

18.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.35 F CFA 763

37.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.43 F CFA 808

58.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.52 F CFA 294

103.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.28 F CFA 724

-14.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.32 F CFA 1,309

78.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$4.34 F CFA 2,454

139.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.18 F CFA 669

45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.21 F CFA 1,248

18.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.72 F CFA 971

-68.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.44 F CFA 811

117.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.30 F CFA 734

93.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$1.73 F CFA 978

82.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.10 F CFA 624

15.45%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$24.8K F CFA 14.0M

-5.08%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$261 F CFA 147.7K

-68.26%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$44.50 F CFA 25.1K

-48.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$57.3 F CFA 32.4K

-48.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$60.5 F CFA 34.2K

-15.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$5.37 F CFA 3,035

241.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$7.37 F CFA 4,162

-33.11%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$189 F CFA 106.9K

4.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,558 F CFA 3.7M

-19.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$17.48 F CFA 9,870

111.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$8.70 F CFA 4,912

358.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$9.04 F CFA 5,106

785.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$48.05 F CFA 27.1K

86.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$201 F CFA 113.5K

375.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$147 F CFA 83.0K

224.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$592 F CFA 334.5K

177.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$286 F CFA 161.4K

328.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

128.40%

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 Cotonou: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $201 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $212 per month, with Cotonou cheaper across the board.

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 Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,445 in Cotonou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $201 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $963 in Cotonou – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $963 in Cotonou versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.