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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $590 in Lome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,024 in Lome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,458 in Lome.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 121% more expensive than in Lome, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Lome 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.09 F CFA 1,743

287.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$32.15 F CFA 18.2K

47.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.64 F CFA 3,186

108.33%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$6.16 F CFA 3,481

-33.12%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

-67.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.74 F CFA 415

22.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$0.93 F CFA 527

245.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.79 F CFA 1,010

294.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.28 F CFA 1,291

-26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.35 F CFA 762

59.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.52 F CFA 859

16.45%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.02 F CFA 1,139

39.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$5.82 F CFA 3,288

117.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.14 F CFA 1,774

-6.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.75 F CFA 991

-9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.62 F CFA 1,481

-9.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.73 F CFA 977

15.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.22 F CFA 692

62.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.92 F CFA 520

31.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$4.93 F CFA 2,783

113.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.16 F CFA 658

45.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.46 F CFA 827

89.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.20 F CFA 681

204.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$4.42 F CFA 2,497

30.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.19 F CFA 671

29.41%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$148 F CFA 83.8K

-38.87%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$22.34 F CFA 12.6K

12.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$44.11 F CFA 24.9K

-28.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$61.7 F CFA 34.8K

11.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$9.01 F CFA 5,090

225.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.51 F CFA 2,547

7.76%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,224 F CFA 691.5K

61.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$301 F CFA 170.3K

325.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$309 F CFA 174.6K

150.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lome: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 150% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $32.00 in Lome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $145 per month, with Lome cheaper across the board.

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 Lome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lome wins on cost – living expenses run 121% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lome the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 150% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $590 in Lome – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 92% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $590 in Lome versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lome but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Lome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lome delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $590 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lome hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Lome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.