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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,327 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,194 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,061 in Dakar.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 2% less than in Dakar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Dakar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.42 F CFA 3,058

116.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

-21.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.21 F CFA 5,755

4.21%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.43 F CFA 2,498

-20.54%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.86 F CFA 484

75.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.09 F CFA 615

-11.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

14.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.36 F CFA 2,457

2.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.52 F CFA 1,423

-45.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.64 F CFA 360

195.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.61 F CFA 906

1.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.88 F CFA 1,625

-12.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.78 F CFA 7,209

-34.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.50 F CFA 5,357

-12.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.76 F CFA 6,069

-0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.72 F CFA 1,536

-4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.99 F CFA 1,121

-26.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

-27.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.08 F CFA 1,174

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.50 F CFA 844

18.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.34 F CFA 758

63.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.06 F CFA 600

-1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.82 F CFA 460

31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.61 F CFA 908

153.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.38 F CFA 8,674

-32.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.18 F CFA 667

44.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.22 F CFA 1,254

16.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.36 F CFA 204

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$80.5 F CFA 45.4K

-67.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

21.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.83 F CFA 1,598

-12.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

-81.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.71 F CFA 963

-23.39%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

-16.09%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

-52.42%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$138 F CFA 78.0K

-40.11%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.92 F CFA 5,597

123.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$50.4 F CFA 28.4K

-41.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

-8.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

-14.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$9.02 F CFA 5,086

-43.79%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$272 F CFA 153.4K

-26.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

-27.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

-46.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

-9.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$103 F CFA 58.2K

-23.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$131 F CFA 74.1K

-33.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$914 F CFA 515.2K

6.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$369 F CFA 208.2K

26.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

-11.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$938 F CFA 528.9K

30.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

-21.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,491 F CFA 841.1K

335.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$431 F CFA 243.2K

53.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.25

38.42%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $914 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $53.0 in Dakar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $276 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Dakar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Dakar differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $1,327 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 54% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $914 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,327 in Dakar – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 204% less than in Dakar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,327 in Dakar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Dakar. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Dakar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.