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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $736 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,190 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,644 in Yaounde, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 71% 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 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.89 FCFA 2,806

145.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$44.62 FCFA 25.6K

-6.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.65 FCFA 3,246

90.27%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.73 FCFA 1,566

28.21%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.43 FCFA 819

1.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.66 FCFA 379

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.16 FCFA 664

154.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.75 FCFA 1,005

157.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.86 FCFA 1,641

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.02 FCFA 583

80.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.11 FCFA 635

41.44%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.79 FCFA 1,028

40.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$14.15 FCFA 8,123

-41.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.11 FCFA 3,510

37.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.89 FCFA 3,382

81.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$4.62 FCFA 2,651

-43.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.08 FCFA 1,192

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.06 FCFA 1,183

-4.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.24 FCFA 711

68.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.67 FCFA 958

10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.45 FCFA 832

49.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.57 FCFA 328

80.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.01 FCFA 578

5.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.72 FCFA 987

138.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.63 FCFA 4,954

17.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.28 FCFA 734

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.55 FCFA 891

63.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.61 FCFA 349

-16.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$17.38 FCFA 9,981

49.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.60 FCFA 346

438.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.42 FCFA 240

473.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.78 FCFA 3,319

-44.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.34 FCFA 772

-1.49%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$33.6K FCFA 19.3M

-11.67%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

51.56%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$78.6 FCFA 45.1K

4.38%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$21.11 FCFA 12.1K

8.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$47.48 FCFA 27.3K

-36.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$26.58 FCFA 15.3K

95.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$7.21 FCFA 4,140

157.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.66 FCFA 3,826

-25.23%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$335 FCFA 192.4K

-41.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,827 FCFA 1.0M

192.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$16.31 FCFA 9,364

118.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$24.04 FCFA 13.8K

67.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$19.51 FCFA 11.2K

303.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$58.0 FCFA 33.3K

53.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$149 FCFA 85.4K

536.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$121 FCFA 69.4K

292.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$498 FCFA 285.7K

230.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$252 FCFA 144.5K

380.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$866 FCFA 497.3K

368.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$614 FCFA 352.5K

953.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$184 FCFA 105.9K

254.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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 Yaounde: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $149 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 255% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Yaounde. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $240 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 71%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,104 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $736 in Yaounde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% 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 $736, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.