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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $663 in Limbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $919 in Limbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,174 in Limbe.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 90% more expensive than in Limbe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Limbe 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.29 FCFA 2,438

173.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.09 FCFA 617

229.36%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.63 FCFA 928

-7.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.86 FCFA 488

6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.80 FCFA 1,020

64.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.71 FCFA 1,537

62.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.63 FCFA 1,495

-46.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.63 FCFA 923

-4.29%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.07 FCFA 1,175

26.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.51 FCFA 5,398

-12.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.08 FCFA 2,881

64.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.35 FCFA 3,603

71.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.93 FCFA 1,095

40.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.14 FCFA 645

32.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.90 FCFA 1,077

-1.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.99 FCFA 1,130

10.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.00 FCFA 1,133

-7.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.86 FCFA 490

24.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.80 FCFA 1,023

-39.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.67 FCFA 1,518

56.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.65 FCFA 4,909

20.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.07 FCFA 1,175

-19.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.69 FCFA 1,526

-2.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.89 FCFA 507

-39.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$26.88 FCFA 15.3K

-2.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.55 FCFA 313

460.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.20 FCFA 113

1100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$1.80 FCFA 1,021

73.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.20 FCFA 683

9.17%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$88.0 FCFA 50.0K

-7.65%

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$82.9 FCFA 47.0K

-63.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$44.06 FCFA 25.0K

20.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.38 FCFA 2,487

12.33%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$350 FCFA 198.6K

-42.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,760 FCFA 999.0K

194.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$113 FCFA 64.3K

764.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$115 FCFA 65.1K

310.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$358 FCFA 203.2K

361.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$203 FCFA 115.1K

493.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Limbe: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 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 90% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $663 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $995 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: $978 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 $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $350 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 3% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $663 in Limbe versus $1,260 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 90% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.