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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $605 in Malabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,254 in Malabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,903 in Malabo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 114% more than Malabo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Malabo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Malabo 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$69.3 FCFA 39.1K

-39.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.66 FCFA 4,883

22.86%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$5.30 FCFA 2,989

-33.58%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.89 FCFA 505

69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.90 FCFA 510

7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.79 FCFA 1,572

-50.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.27 FCFA 2,409

-41.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.84 FCFA 3,857

21.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.83 FCFA 3,854

22.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.15 FCFA 4,030

50.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.93 FCFA 525

11.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.23 FCFA 693

-12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.63 FCFA 2,611

-11.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.44 FCFA 814

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.33 FCFA 753

-61.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$26.60 FCFA 15.0K

-0.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.91 FCFA 513

258.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.80 FCFA 452

211.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$8.98 FCFA 5,063

-63.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$33.0K FCFA 18.6M

-8.25%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$29.3K FCFA 16.5M

-19.90%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

$17.40 FCFA 9,811

27.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$17.32 FCFA 9,768

69.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$35.03 FCFA 19.8K

47.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.89 FCFA 8,396

23.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.56 FCFA 3,138

-8.81%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$359 FCFA 202.2K

1353.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$26.93 FCFA 15.2K

37.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$132 FCFA 74.2K

-69.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$89.9 FCFA 50.7K

-3.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$266 FCFA 150.0K

265.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$123 FCFA 69.4K

280.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$956 FCFA 539.2K

71.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$522 FCFA 294.3K

133.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$847 FCFA 477.4K

366.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$634 FCFA 357.8K

924.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Malabo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $266 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 $69.0 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $605 in Malabo – roughly 114% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $907 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 1% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 70% 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 $605, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $605 in Malabo to $1,297 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.