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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,650 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,654 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,658 in Douala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 23% cheaper than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Douala is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$8.77 FCFA 4,954

35.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$125 FCFA 70.8K

-65.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.34 FCFA 3,016

99.44%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.82 FCFA 1,030

89.56%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.64 FCFA 927

-8.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.79 FCFA 448

20.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.13 FCFA 637

168.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.58 FCFA 1,456

78.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.81 FCFA 1,589

-50.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.45 FCFA 251

311.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.31 FCFA 1,307

-30.30%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.02 FCFA 1,139

28.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$22.79 FCFA 12.9K

-63.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$7.72 FCFA 4,362

8.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.63 FCFA 3,744

60.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$4.86 FCFA 2,742

-45.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.09 FCFA 1,183

-28.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.16 FCFA 1,217

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.36 FCFA 767

53.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.33 FCFA 1,879

-44.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.17 FCFA 1,227

4.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.79 FCFA 447

34.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.62 FCFA 352

75.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.47 FCFA 1,958

19.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.57 FCFA 4,840

21.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.42 FCFA 800

21.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.95 FCFA 1,099

33.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.68 FCFA 385

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$17.61 FCFA 9,946

52.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.56 FCFA 314

458.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.75 FCFA 425

234.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$8.46 FCFA 4,780

-62.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.44 FCFA 814

-11.81%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$30.3K FCFA 17.1M

0.14%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

47.41%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$167 FCFA 94.1K

-50.16%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$26.57 FCFA 15.0K

-14.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$185 FCFA 104.6K

-84.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$23.91 FCFA 13.5K

113.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$3.63 FCFA 2,051

404.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$8.71 FCFA 4,921

-43.40%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$534 FCFA 301.4K

-63.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,478 FCFA 2.0M

51.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$81.3 FCFA 45.9K

-54.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$68.9 FCFA 38.9K

-42.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$143 FCFA 80.5K

-43.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$155 FCFA 87.7K

-42.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$927 FCFA 523.8K

3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$592 FCFA 334.5K

-19.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,895 FCFA 1.1M

-13.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,132 FCFA 639.5K

8.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,065 FCFA 1.2M

89.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$988 FCFA 557.9K

553.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$162 FCFA 91.5K

311.75%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Douala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $927 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 312% 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 $125 in Douala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 30%, 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 $1,906 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $125 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 $1,271, 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.