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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $933 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,498 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,062 in Cotonou.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 40% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cotonou 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$5.29 F CFA 2,990

126.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$36.57 F CFA 20.7K

29.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$9.83 F CFA 5,552

19.53%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.39 F CFA 3,046

-23.56%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.08 F CFA 608

29.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.99 F CFA 557

-8.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$0.85 F CFA 481

277.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.63 F CFA 1,486

168.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$3.11 F CFA 1,760

-45.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.23 F CFA 697

74.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.92 F CFA 1,082

-7.81%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.76 F CFA 1,557

2.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.92 F CFA 5,605

-7.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.65 F CFA 3,192

63.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$5.27 F CFA 2,978

139.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

-30.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.87 F CFA 1,057

-15.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.33 F CFA 751

66.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.81 F CFA 1,587

-16.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.31 F CFA 742

51.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.82 F CFA 1,030

8.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.48 F CFA 273

158.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.12 F CFA 634

8.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.45 F CFA 1,950

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$4.31 F CFA 2,437

144.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.26 F CFA 711

34.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.94 F CFA 1,095

42.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.31 F CFA 739

-54.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.43 F CFA 809

266.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.40 F CFA 791

160.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.22 F CFA 687

26.23%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$24.3K F CFA 13.8M

6.04%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$155 F CFA 87.6K

-41.51%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$35.18 F CFA 19.9K

-28.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$49.94 F CFA 28.2K

-36.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$51.1 F CFA 28.9K

34.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

739.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$8.92 F CFA 5,041

-45.52%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$135 F CFA 76.5K

66.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$5,847 F CFA 3.3M

-28.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$26.84 F CFA 15.2K

76.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$35.63 F CFA 20.1K

125.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$70.4 F CFA 39.8K

29.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$186 F CFA 105.3K

482.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$175 F CFA 99.1K

133.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$619 F CFA 349.8K

218.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$419 F CFA 237.0K

205.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$262 F CFA 148.1K

195.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

186.25%

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 Cotonou: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $186 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 195% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $37.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $230 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 195% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $186 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $933 in Cotonou – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $933 in Cotonou versus $1,305 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 40% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.