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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $997 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,426 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,854 in Cotonou.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 26% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cotonou 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$3.46 F CFA 1,980

238.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$26.77 F CFA 15.3K

56.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$5.16 F CFA 2,946

103.68%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$5.56 F CFA 3,175

-35.43%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.86 F CFA 492

75.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.79 F CFA 449

16.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.40 F CFA 799

111.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.61 F CFA 2,060

22.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$2.58 F CFA 1,472

-45.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.44 F CFA 820

30.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.92 F CFA 1,100

-18.75%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.22 F CFA 1,271

17.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$9.25 F CFA 5,288

-10.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$5.05 F CFA 2,888

65.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$5.16 F CFA 2,949

110.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$3.88 F CFA 2,217

-30.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.37 F CFA 784

10.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.21 F CFA 694

54.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.74 F CFA 995

25.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.34 F CFA 766

38.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.50 F CFA 859

48.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.51 F CFA 293

109.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$1.23 F CFA 705

-11.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.35 F CFA 1,341

78.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$4.28 F CFA 2,446

143.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.20 F CFA 686

38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.29 F CFA 1,309

13.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

-70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.38 F CFA 789

123.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.25 F CFA 712

92.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$1.74 F CFA 994

79.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.11 F CFA 636

18.02%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$24.9K F CFA 14.2M

-6.25%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$266 F CFA 152.1K

-69.47%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$43.54 F CFA 24.9K

-48.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$56.1 F CFA 32.0K

-46.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$58.8 F CFA 33.6K

-10.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$5.40 F CFA 3,086

240.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$7.51 F CFA 4,294

-34.49%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$185 F CFA 105.5K

8.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

-18.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$17.45 F CFA 9,972

105.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$8.70 F CFA 4,972

361.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$9.04 F CFA 5,169

781.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$49.16 F CFA 28.1K

75.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$199 F CFA 113.8K

391.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$149 F CFA 85.2K

215.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$571 F CFA 326.4K

189.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$283 F CFA 161.6K

325.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$171 F CFA 97.9K

294.93%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $199 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 295% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $209 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 295% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $199 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $997 in Cotonou – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Cotonou versus $1,260 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 26% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.