Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ouagadougou

For one person, living is cheaper in Ouagadougou: $1,158 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $550 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Playa del Carmen outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Ouagadougou
🇧🇫 Burkina Faso
$1,158
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Ouagadougou

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Ouagadougou actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,158 in Ouagadougou, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Ouagadougou $1,158

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,908 in Ouagadougou, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Ouagadougou $1,908

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,658 in Ouagadougou, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Ouagadougou $2,658

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Ouagadougou, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ouagadougou are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Ouagadougou 15% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Ouagadougou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$7.06 F CFA 4,158
54.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$25.18 F CFA 14.8K
72.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$7.34 F CFA 4,323
60.49%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$2.04 F CFA 1,202
86.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$1.05 F CFA 617
21.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$1.10 F CFA 648
-29.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$1.20 F CFA 709
164.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
$2.62 F CFA 1,545
88.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Ouagadougou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.95 F CFA 1,150
-27.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
$1.12 F CFA 662
98.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$0.84 F CFA 493
69.05%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
$2.52 F CFA 1,486
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$16.97 F CFA 9,994
-57.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$20.39 F CFA 12.0K
-62.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$14.70 F CFA 8,658
-13.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$4.61 F CFA 2,716
-39.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
$3.34 F CFA 1,967
-23.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
$3.79 F CFA 2,232
-44.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
$1.52 F CFA 893
27.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
$1.66 F CFA 977
13.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
$1.30 F CFA 766
-11.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
$1.35 F CFA 794
-12.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
$1.28 F CFA 754
235.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$6.02 F CFA 3,545
65.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
$1.44 F CFA 846
9.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
$2.54 F CFA 1,494
5.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Ouagadougou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$0.15 F CFA 85.9
266.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$0.52 F CFA 307
855.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$0.81 F CFA 476
311.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$8.54 F CFA 5,030
-37.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
$1.43 F CFA 840
0.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
$36.8K F CFA 21.7M
-43.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
$31.4K F CFA 18.5M
-25.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Ouagadougou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
$176 F CFA 103.5K
-51.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$26.04 F CFA 15.3K
-10.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$54.0 F CFA 31.8K
-46.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Ouagadougou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$59.2 F CFA 34.9K
-3.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$8.27 F CFA 4,867
249.58%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
$6.71 F CFA 3,951
-23.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Ouagadougou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
$33.99 F CFA 20.0K
507.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
$6,080 F CFA 3.6M
-35.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Ouagadougou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$34.58 F CFA 20.4K
25.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$50.6 F CFA 29.8K
-18.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
$86.4 F CFA 50.9K
-14.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
$103 F CFA 60.5K
-13.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Ouagadougou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
$337 F CFA 198.6K
190.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
$228 F CFA 134.0K
67.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$1,312 F CFA 772.4K
30.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$738 F CFA 434.9K
45.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$849 F CFA 500.2K
364.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
$251 F CFA 148.0K
2350.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Ouagadougou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$607 F CFA 357.5K
21.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
12
-4.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ouagadougou: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Ouagadougou
$228 40.3% $153
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Ouagadougou
$350 * 37.4% $95
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Ouagadougou
$123 39.3% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Ouagadougou
$256 86.9% $119
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Ouagadougou
$123 10.5% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Ouagadougou
$73 7.9% $5.3
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Ouagadougou
$5.2 * 89.8% $45

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $337 in Ouagadougou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $25 in Ouagadougou. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Playa del Carmen vs $350 in Ouagadougou – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇧🇫 Ouagadougou
🕒 Local time
14:59 2:59 PM
19:59 7:59 PM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
1,915,102 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 589 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.7 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Ouagadougou 9,070 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Ouagadougou

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ouagadougou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Ouagadougou compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, $1,158 in Ouagadougou – Ouagadougou comes out roughly 4% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Ouagadougou?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,736 in Ouagadougou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Ouagadougou?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ouagadougou, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $337 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Ouagadougou?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,158 in Ouagadougou. That makes Ouagadougou about 4% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Ouagadougou?
Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $34 in Ouagadougou. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $2,000 go in Playa del Carmen compared to Ouagadougou?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,158 in Ouagadougou, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Playa del Carmen or Ouagadougou?
Families tend to lean toward Ouagadougou – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Ouagadougou?
If budget matters most, go with Ouagadougou. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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