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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $725 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,195 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,665 in Yaounde, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 79% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Yaounde are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Yaounde 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$4.87 FCFA 2,769

140.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$43.99 FCFA 25.0K

-5.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$5.80 FCFA 3,298

83.45%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.4

$2.59 FCFA 1,474

35.91%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$1.48 FCFA 840

2.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.69 FCFA 394

40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$1.17 FCFA 667

152.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$1.72 FCFA 978

158.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$2.83 FCFA 1,612

-51.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.03

$0.99 FCFA 563

90.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$1.11 FCFA 629

47.75%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$1.83 FCFA 1,042

37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$13.96 FCFA 7,944

-40.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$6.32 FCFA 3,596

31.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$5.98 FCFA 3,401

79.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.47

$4.63 FCFA 2,636

-43.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$2.10 FCFA 1,192

-30.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$2.06 FCFA 1,171

-7.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$1.19 FCFA 677

74.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$1.61 FCFA 913

10.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$1.46 FCFA 829

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$0.57 FCFA 327

82.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$1.00 FCFA 567

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$1.73 FCFA 986

135.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$8.78 FCFA 4,994

17.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$1.23 FCFA 700

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.97

$1.60 FCFA 913

61.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.60 FCFA 339

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$17.76 FCFA 10.1K

48.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$0.65 FCFA 368

401.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.50

$0.38 FCFA 217

555.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$5.60 FCFA 3,184

-41.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.35 FCFA 767

-2.96%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$33.1K FCFA 18.8M

-8.61%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$16.2K FCFA 9.2M

44.99%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$79.3 FCFA 45.1K

4.46%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$21.48 FCFA 12.2K

3.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$46.79 FCFA 26.6K

-37.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$26.01 FCFA 14.8K

98.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$7.26 FCFA 4,128

152.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$6.54 FCFA 3,722

-22.48%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$346 FCFA 196.8K

-41.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$1,832 FCFA 1.0M

184.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$16.69 FCFA 9,495

121.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$23.83 FCFA 13.6K

66.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$19.67 FCFA 11.2K

298.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$58.2 FCFA 33.1K

49.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$153 FCFA 86.9K

536.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,168

$118 FCFA 67.1K

296.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$503 FCFA 286.0K

226.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$256 FCFA 145.8K

376.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$887 FCFA 504.5K

344.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$626 FCFA 356.2K

937.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$189 FCFA 107.6K

251.00%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $153 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 251% 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 $44.00 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 79%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,088 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $725 in Yaounde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% 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 $725, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.