Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ziguinchor

For one person, living is cheaper in Ziguinchor: $153 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Ziguinchor, Senegal
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Ziguinchor
🇸🇳 Senegal
$153
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Ziguinchor actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $153 in Ziguinchor, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Ziguinchor $153

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $341 in Ziguinchor, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Ziguinchor $341

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $528 in Ziguinchor, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Ziguinchor $528

Playa del Carmen costs about 689% more than Ziguinchor, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ziguinchor are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Ziguinchor 89% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Ziguinchor
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$6.24 F CFA 3,648
75.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$813
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.4
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.03
$0.83 F CFA 485
54.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.67
$0.44 F CFA 259
77.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.3
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.5
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Ziguinchor
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.35
$1.91 F CFA 1,117
-26.18%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.54
$0.35 F CFA 202
534.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.56
$1.24 F CFA 728
14.52%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.27
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.2
$2.41 F CFA 1,410
15.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.64
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.80
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.78
$1.73 F CFA 1,013
22.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.32
$1.70 F CFA 994
14.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.34
$1.66 F CFA 973
13.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.49
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.09
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.5
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$186
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.67
$0.90 F CFA 526
75.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Ziguinchor
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.37
$0.25 F CFA 145
120.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$499
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.1
$1.73 F CFA 1,010
187.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.4
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$100
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.06
$1.72 F CFA 1,006
-16.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$387.3K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$439.7K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Ziguinchor
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,589
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$12.69 F CFA 7,423
84.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$537
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Ziguinchor
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,069
$21.13 F CFA 12.4K
170.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$542
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.3
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Ziguinchor
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,871
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.6K
$2,542 F CFA 1.5M
54.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Ziguinchor
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$812
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$777
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,390
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,672
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Ziguinchor
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$429 F CFA 250.6K
128.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,136
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.1K
$190 F CFA 111.0K
466.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Ziguinchor
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
0
-

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 Ziguinchor: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Ziguinchor
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Ziguinchor
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Ziguinchor
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Ziguinchor
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Ziguinchor
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Ziguinchor
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Ziguinchor
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $429 in Ziguinchor. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇸🇳 Ziguinchor
🕒 Local time
08:48 8:48 AM
13:48 1:48 PM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
230,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 653 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Ziguinchor 7,550 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Ziguinchor

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 Ziguinchor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ziguinchor cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 689%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $229 in Ziguinchor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ziguinchor, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $429 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Ziguinchor?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $153 in Ziguinchor. That makes Ziguinchor about 87% cheaper.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Ziguinchor?
Groceries cost about 316% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Ziguinchor?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ziguinchor, where all-in costs run around $153, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Ziguinchor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Ziguinchor?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $153 in Ziguinchor to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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