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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $642 in Limbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $902 in Limbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,162 in Limbe.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 102% more expensive than Limbe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Limbe 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$4.42 FCFA 2,498

165.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.08 FCFA 610

234.26%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.61 FCFA 908

-9.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.86 FCFA 486

12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.80 FCFA 1,018

62.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.66 FCFA 1,502

73.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.70 FCFA 1,527

-47.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.68 FCFA 946

-6.55%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.09 FCFA 1,178

26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$9.49 FCFA 5,356

-11.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$5.06 FCFA 2,857

69.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$6.32 FCFA 3,570

74.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.91 FCFA 1,076

41.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.15 FCFA 647

31.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.91 FCFA 1,076

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.90 FCFA 1,074

14.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.96 FCFA 1,105

-4.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.91 FCFA 514

18.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.73 FCFA 979

-38.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.62 FCFA 1,481

58.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.05 FCFA 1,157

-18.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.73 FCFA 1,538

-7.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.84 FCFA 472

-34.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$26.24 FCFA 14.8K

0.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.55 FCFA 310

481.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.18 FCFA 102

1266.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.72 FCFA 969

86.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.20 FCFA 675

10.00%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$88.8 FCFA 50.1K

-8.39%

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

$22.41 MX$386

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$82.3 FCFA 46.4K

-63.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$44.56 FCFA 25.2K

15.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$4.29 FCFA 2,420

20.28%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$355 FCFA 200.4K

-43.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$1,792 FCFA 1.0M

196.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$113 FCFA 63.6K

743.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$114 FCFA 64.4K

319.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$358 FCFA 201.8K

353.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$200 FCFA 112.8K

512.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Limbe: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $113 in Limbe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Limbe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Limbe differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($1,294 vs $642 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $962 in Limbe to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $113 in Limbe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $355 in Limbe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Limbe runs roughly 0% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $642 in Limbe versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Limbe but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Limbe 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 Limbe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.