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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $589 in Malabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,225 in Malabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,862 in Malabo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 113% more than Malabo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Malabo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Malabo 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$69.9 FCFA 40.1K

-40.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.68 FCFA 4,984

23.85%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$5.20 FCFA 2,988

-32.69%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.90 FCFA 517

61.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.91 FCFA 521

-3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.84 FCFA 1,629

-49.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.11 FCFA 2,360

-38.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.80 FCFA 3,905

21.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.71 FCFA 3,852

25.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.49 FCFA 4,301

42.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.93 FCFA 532

10.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.26 FCFA 725

-15.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.48 FCFA 2,571

-8.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.46 FCFA 839

15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.30 FCFA 748

-60.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$26.74 FCFA 15.4K

-2.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.84 FCFA 483

284.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.80 FCFA 460

201.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.80 FCFA 5,052

-63.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$33.5K FCFA 19.2M

-11.29%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$29.5K FCFA 17.0M

-19.87%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

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

$22.95 MX$400

$17.49 FCFA 10.0K

31.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$17.52 FCFA 10.1K

71.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$34.61 FCFA 19.9K

50.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$14.94 FCFA 8,575

24.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.54 FCFA 3,181

-10.11%

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

$197 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$357 FCFA 205.0K

1394.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$26.55 FCFA 15.2K

34.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$134 FCFA 76.7K

-69.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$89.8 FCFA 51.6K

-1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$267 FCFA 153.1K

255.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$124 FCFA 70.9K

283.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$958 FCFA 549.8K

71.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$520 FCFA 298.7K

132.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$846 FCFA 485.5K

379.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$645 FCFA 370.1K

903.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.8

67.94%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Malabo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $267 in Malabo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $70.0 in Malabo. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $147 in Malabo – so Malabo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Malabo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $589 in Malabo – roughly 113% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $883 in Malabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malabo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malabo, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Malabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $589 in Malabo to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Malabo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.