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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,318 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,218 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,117 in Dakar.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 5% less than in Dakar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Dakar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.43 F CFA 3,117

120.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$52.2 F CFA 30.0K

-19.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.20 F CFA 5,856

5.39%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.37 F CFA 2,512

-19.91%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.89 F CFA 512

62.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.08 F CFA 620

-18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.70 F CFA 1,552

9.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.51 F CFA 2,587

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.57 F CFA 1,476

-44.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.67 F CFA 385

174.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.62 F CFA 928

-3.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.76 F CFA 1,584

-9.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$12.68 F CFA 7,278

-34.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$9.44 F CFA 5,421

-10.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.61 F CFA 6,094

0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.80 F CFA 1,605

-6.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.98 F CFA 1,138

-27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.58 F CFA 1,483

-24.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.14 F CFA 1,228

-2.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.54 F CFA 883

20.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.34 F CFA 772

61.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.07 F CFA 615

-3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.82 F CFA 469

30.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.55 F CFA 893

164.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$17.02 F CFA 9,773

-40.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.13 F CFA 649

48.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.23 F CFA 1,283

13.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.36 F CFA 208

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$79.0 F CFA 45.3K

-67.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.58 F CFA 1,480

25.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.80 F CFA 1,608

-13.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

-81.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.78 F CFA 1,022

-25.84%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$36.9K F CFA 21.2M

-19.49%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

-52.74%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$140 F CFA 80.2K

-41.27%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.57 F CFA 5,494

139.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

-38.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$55.5 F CFA 31.9K

-6.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$21.51 F CFA 12.4K

-13.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$8.75 F CFA 5,024

-43.09%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$268 F CFA 153.7K

-26.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

-27.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$68.1 F CFA 39.1K

-47.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

-7.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$105 F CFA 60.2K

-24.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$128 F CFA 73.8K

-30.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$931 F CFA 534.4K

1.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$369 F CFA 211.7K

28.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

-13.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$933 F CFA 535.4K

29.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

-19.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,444 F CFA 829.2K

347.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$420 F CFA 241.3K

55.59%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dakar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $931 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 56% 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 $52.0 in Dakar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $279 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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $1,318 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 56% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $931 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,318 in Dakar – a 5% 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 203% less than in Dakar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,318 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 5% less than in Dakar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.