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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,650 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,687 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,723 in Douala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 24% cheaper than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Douala is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$8.94 FCFA 5,077

31.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$126 FCFA 71.4K

-66.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.31 FCFA 3,012

97.93%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.81 FCFA 1,028

98.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.72 FCFA 978

-12.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.83 FCFA 474

10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.17 FCFA 663

152.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.63 FCFA 1,491

67.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.84 FCFA 1,615

-50.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.45 FCFA 255

317.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.34 FCFA 1,330

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.01 FCFA 1,139

29.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$23.23 FCFA 13.2K

-64.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$7.72 FCFA 4,383

8.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.62 FCFA 3,757

64.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.89 FCFA 2,775

-44.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.11 FCFA 1,197

-28.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.07 FCFA 1,177

-9.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.41 FCFA 801

55.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$3.30 FCFA 1,873

-43.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.27 FCFA 1,291

-1.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.78 FCFA 440

37.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.62 FCFA 353

75.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.44 FCFA 1,953

21.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.70 FCFA 4,941

19.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.42 FCFA 808

16.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.89 FCFA 1,074

38.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.64 FCFA 363

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$17.56 FCFA 9,967

48.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.55 FCFA 310

460.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.82 FCFA 465

192.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$8.51 FCFA 4,832

-63.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.41 FCFA 803

-7.09%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$30.9K FCFA 17.6M

-3.67%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$15.7K FCFA 8.9M

48.77%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$168 FCFA 95.2K

-51.50%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$26.17 FCFA 14.9K

-13.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$183 FCFA 104.0K

-83.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$23.46 FCFA 13.3K

125.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$3.46 FCFA 1,966

431.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$8.65 FCFA 4,911

-43.12%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$541 FCFA 307.2K

-62.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,435 FCFA 2.0M

50.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$82.0 FCFA 46.5K

-56.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$69.6 FCFA 39.5K

-42.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$145 FCFA 82.1K

-44.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$154 FCFA 87.5K

-43.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$900 FCFA 511.2K

8.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$594 FCFA 337.2K

-20.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,908 FCFA 1.1M

-13.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,114 FCFA 632.5K

8.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,048 FCFA 1.2M

93.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$978 FCFA 555.4K

575.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$211 FCFA 119.9K

220.40%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Douala: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $900 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 220% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 in Douala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $284 – 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 31%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,476 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 13% 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 $42.00 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 $1,260, than in Douala at $1,650. 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.