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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,382 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,200 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,018 in Douala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 8% cheaper than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Douala is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.35 FCFA 2,486

166.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$123 FCFA 70.1K

-61.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.18 FCFA 4,100

65.46%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.10 FCFA 1,200

89.52%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.72 FCFA 985

-16.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.81 FCFA 461

1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.26 FCFA 720

153.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.62 FCFA 1,496

159.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.96 FCFA 1,693

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.42 FCFA 239

423.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.32 FCFA 1,326

-26.29%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.01 FCFA 1,147

36.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$23.14 FCFA 13.2K

-58.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.02 FCFA 4,582

12.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.52 FCFA 3,728

96.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$4.73 FCFA 2,702

-38.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.17 FCFA 1,238

-30.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.15 FCFA 1,227

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.43 FCFA 815

58.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.28 FCFA 1,877

-39.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.24 FCFA 1,278

-11.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.72 FCFA 413

70.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.65 FCFA 371

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.67 FCFA 1,527

70.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.88 FCFA 5,073

16.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.52 FCFA 870

6.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.85 FCFA 1,059

55.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.65 FCFA 370

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$17.44 FCFA 9,968

65.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.59 FCFA 338

813.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.91 FCFA 521

309.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$8.22 FCFA 4,698

-29.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.45 FCFA 827

6.21%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$30.4K FCFA 17.3M

-25.72%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$16.1K FCFA 9.2M

61.67%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$165 FCFA 94.0K

-44.48%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$26.52 FCFA 15.2K

-4.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$185 FCFA 105.6K

-83.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$42.26 FCFA 24.1K

59.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$9.02 FCFA 5,157

-46.12%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$539 FCFA 307.9K

-58.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$3,461 FCFA 2.0M

22.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$80.8 FCFA 46.2K

-41.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$68.2 FCFA 39.0K

-35.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$145 FCFA 82.8K

-44.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$155 FCFA 88.8K

-40.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$566 FCFA 323.6K

87.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$331 FCFA 189.4K

17.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,385 FCFA 791.5K

55.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$560 FCFA 320.1K

127.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,067 FCFA 1.2M

93.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$990 FCFA 565.5K

557.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$232 FCFA 132.5K

226.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

19.04

-39.86%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Douala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $566 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 227% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $123 in Douala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $287 – 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 9%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,073 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 4% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $123 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 $1,266, than in Douala at $1,382. 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.