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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Yaounde is about 36% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

$11.71 MX$198

-69.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

$46.59 MX$788

15.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

$11.65 MX$197

-54.94%

Cappuccino

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

$4.09 MX$69.2

-50.12%

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

$1.53 FCFA 860

$1.37 MX$23.23

11.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 FCFA 304

$0.83 MX$14.09

-34.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 FCFA 701

$3.35 MX$56.7

-62.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 FCFA 990

$6.91 MX$117

-74.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

$1.73 MX$29.20

119.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 FCFA 628

$2.26 MX$38.21

-50.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 FCFA 746

$1.77 MX$29.91

-25.42%

Eggs

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

$2.73 MX$46.19

-20.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

$9.18 MX$155

55.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

$8.92 MX$151

-32.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

$12.60 MX$213

-46.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

$3.02 MX$51.1

74.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

$1.57 MX$26.55

34.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

$2.13 MX$35.93

1.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 FCFA 828

$2.26 MX$38.28

-34.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 FCFA 953

$2.00 MX$33.88

-15.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 FCFA 810

$2.06 MX$34.90

-30.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 FCFA 633

$1.18 MX$19.94

-5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 FCFA 385

$1.20 MX$20.35

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 FCFA 976

$4.63 MX$78.4

-62.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

$10.69 MX$181

-16.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 FCFA 801

$1.62 MX$27.38

-12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

$2.88 MX$48.70

-29.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 FCFA 340

$0.57 MX$9.69

5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

$29.83 MX$504

-39.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FCFA 359

$5.45 MX$92.1

-88.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 FCFA 242

$3.70 MX$62.6

-88.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

$5.98 MX$101

4.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 FCFA 832

$1.55 MX$26.26

-4.52%

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

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

$22.3K MX$377.4K

50.49%

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

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-14.12%

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

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

$89.1 MX$1,507

-7.85%

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

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

$25.04 MX$423

-28.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

$31.50 MX$532

68.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

$67.8 MX$1,146

-64.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

$28.92 MX$489

-74.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

$5.05 MX$85.4

71.49%

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

$642 FCFA 361.9K

$225 MX$3,803

185.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

$4,222 MX$71.4K

-41.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

$47.44 MX$802

-63.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

$44.98 MX$760

-37.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

$82.0 MX$1,386

-67.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

$92.1 MX$1,557

-37.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 FCFA 82.6K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-86.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 FCFA 107.6K

$405 MX$6,852

-52.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 FCFA 231.5K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-78.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 FCFA 122.3K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-83.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$888 FCFA 500.8K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-77.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 FCFA 349.9K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-90.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 FCFA 108.4K

$749 MX$12.7K

-74.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.54%

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

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $147 in Yaounde versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $54.0 in Yaounde versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $261 in Yaounde vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – 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

Yaounde vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $1,243 per month in Yaounde and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $829 in Yaounde and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. 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.