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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $978 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,407 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,835 in Cotonou.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 32% more expensive than Cotonou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Cotonou 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.47 F CFA 1,948

244.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

58.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.24 F CFA 2,940

102.10%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$5.52 F CFA 3,097

-34.42%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.86 F CFA 483

70.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.78 F CFA 435

20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.45 F CFA 814

113.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.49 F CFA 1,956

27.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.65 F CFA 1,486

-46.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.38 F CFA 774

36.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.85 F CFA 1,037

-11.89%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.18 F CFA 1,221

21.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.23 F CFA 5,179

-11.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.93 F CFA 2,763

68.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$5.13 F CFA 2,877

116.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.89 F CFA 2,183

-31.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.37 F CFA 771

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.27 F CFA 710

56.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.77 F CFA 991

17.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.41 F CFA 789

26.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.45 F CFA 811

50.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.48 F CFA 267

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.28 F CFA 718

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.33 F CFA 1,309

70.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.52 F CFA 3,659

56.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.24 F CFA 698

39.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.28 F CFA 1,281

9.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.80 F CFA 1,012

-71.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.44 F CFA 810

118.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.26 F CFA 705

90.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$1.79 F CFA 1,005

72.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.06 F CFA 595

19.81%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$24.3K F CFA 13.6M

-4.01%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$269 F CFA 150.9K

-69.52%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

-49.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

-46.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

-11.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.44 F CFA 3,051

243.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$7.53 F CFA 4,221

-34.00%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$189 F CFA 106.1K

4.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,522 F CFA 3.7M

-19.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$17.58 F CFA 9,863

106.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$8.64 F CFA 4,846

363.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$9.04 F CFA 5,070

783.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

80.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$202 F CFA 113.3K

376.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$149 F CFA 83.6K

211.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$577 F CFA 323.7K

176.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$285 F CFA 159.7K

324.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $202 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 $251 vs $214 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 $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,467 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $202 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $978 in Cotonou – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Cotonou versus $1,287 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.