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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $829 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,260 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,690 in Yaounde, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 56% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Yaounde are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Yaounde 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

224.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

-13.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

121.90%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

100.49%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.53 FCFA 860

-10.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.54 FCFA 304

53.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.24 FCFA 701

170.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.76 FCFA 990

292.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

-54.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.11 FCFA 628

103.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.32 FCFA 746

34.09%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

26.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

-35.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

47.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

86.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

-42.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

-25.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

-1.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$1.47 FCFA 828

53.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.69 FCFA 953

18.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.44 FCFA 810

43.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.12 FCFA 633

5.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.68 FCFA 385

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$1.73 FCFA 976

167.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

19.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.42 FCFA 801

14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

41.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.60 FCFA 340

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

66.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.64 FCFA 359

751.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.43 FCFA 242

760.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

-4.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.48 FCFA 832

4.73%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

-33.55%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

16.44%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

8.52%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

39.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

-40.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

179.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

294.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

-41.69%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$642 FCFA 361.9K

-64.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

70.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

171.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

59.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

204.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

59.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$147 FCFA 82.6K

629.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$191 FCFA 107.6K

112.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$411 FCFA 231.5K

371.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$217 FCFA 122.3K

499.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$888 FCFA 500.8K

349.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$621 FCFA 349.9K

967.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$192 FCFA 108.4K

289.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-11.92%

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 Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $147 in Yaounde. 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 289% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $54.0 in Yaounde. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $261 in Yaounde – so Yaounde 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 Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,243 in Yaounde. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $829 in Yaounde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Yaounde. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yaounde, where all-in costs run around $829, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Yaounde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yaounde – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Yaounde. 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.