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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,636 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,621 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,606 in Douala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 21% cheaper than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Douala is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$9.02 FCFA 5,062

32.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$126 FCFA 70.4K

-65.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.15 FCFA 2,890

105.63%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.89 FCFA 1,062

91.53%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.68 FCFA 941

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.83 FCFA 467

13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.18 FCFA 660

161.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.66 FCFA 1,492

67.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.90 FCFA 1,627

-50.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.45 FCFA 250

317.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.24 FCFA 1,258

-27.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.91 FCFA 1,069

38.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$22.75 FCFA 12.8K

-63.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.72 FCFA 4,329

7.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.58 FCFA 3,690

68.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.94 FCFA 2,773

-46.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.10 FCFA 1,177

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.09 FCFA 1,171

-4.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.36 FCFA 762

52.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$3.38 FCFA 1,897

-47.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.24 FCFA 1,256

-2.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.73 FCFA 408

47.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.67 FCFA 375

55.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.59 FCFA 2,011

10.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.32 FCFA 4,669

22.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.35 FCFA 758

28.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.95 FCFA 1,092

28.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.65 FCFA 362

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$17.48 FCFA 9,807

54.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.55 FCFA 306

470.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.76 FCFA 426

215.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$8.19 FCFA 4,592

-62.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.37 FCFA 768

-7.30%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$31.0K FCFA 17.4M

-0.54%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

45.49%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$170 FCFA 95.2K

-51.67%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$25.96 FCFA 14.6K

-13.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$182 FCFA 101.9K

-83.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$23.43 FCFA 13.1K

121.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$3.47 FCFA 1,948

438.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$8.60 FCFA 4,822

-42.21%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$530 FCFA 297.3K

-62.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,540 FCFA 2.0M

48.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$81.1 FCFA 45.5K

-55.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$70.3 FCFA 39.4K

-43.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$142 FCFA 79.4K

-43.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$153 FCFA 86.0K

-42.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$915 FCFA 513.0K

5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$585 FCFA 328.3K

-20.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,889 FCFA 1.1M

-15.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,129 FCFA 633.3K

7.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,108 FCFA 1.2M

86.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,005 FCFA 563.8K

541.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$163 FCFA 91.6K

340.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

19.21

-40.55%

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 Douala: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $915 in Douala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 341% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 in Douala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $282 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Douala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Douala is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,454 in Douala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Douala, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $126 in Douala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Douala at $1,636. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Douala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Douala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.