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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $678 in Malabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,146 in Malabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,613 in Malabo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 91% more than Malabo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Malabo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Malabo 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$8.73 FCFA 4,927

34.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$70.9 FCFA 40.0K

-34.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$8.85 FCFA 4,994

31.64%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$4.80 FCFA 2,710

-14.79%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$0.85 FCFA 481

61.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$0.45 FCFA 256

84.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$1.80 FCFA 1,015

86.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$2.90 FCFA 1,636

-40.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$1.76 FCFA 993

0.57%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$4.00 FCFA 2,258

-31.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.56 FCFA 3,701

39.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.13 FCFA 3,459

45.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$7.30 FCFA 4,121

72.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$2.45 FCFA 1,384

23.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$1.74 FCFA 984

-9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$4.40 FCFA 2,481

5.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$1.41 FCFA 798

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$0.92 FCFA 519

213.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$1.79 FCFA 1,011

-68.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

$26.36 FCFA 14.9K

13.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$0.87 FCFA 491

526.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$0.91 FCFA 513

306.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$8.66 FCFA 4,887

-30.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$33.2K FCFA 18.7M

-32.69%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$30.0K FCFA 16.9M

-13.54%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

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

$25.04 MX$423

$17.67 FCFA 9,973

41.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$17.92 FCFA 10.1K

75.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$35.99 FCFA 20.3K

88.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$14.58 FCFA 8,231

98.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$5.42 FCFA 3,057

-6.83%

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

$225 MX$3,797

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$359 FCFA 202.6K

1076.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$232 FCFA 130.9K

74.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$348 FCFA 196.4K

456.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$291 FCFA 164.3K

347.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$841 FCFA 474.8K

374.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$656 FCFA 370.4K

909.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.8

68.38%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Malabo: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $71.0 in Malabo. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $156 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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $678 in Malabo – roughly 91% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,017 in Malabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 13% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 78% 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 $678, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $678 in Malabo to $1,293 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.