Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambon: $625 a month against $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Ambon
Learn more

Ambon Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Ambon

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$625

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,215

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ambon and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $625 in Ambon versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen.

Ambon $625
Playa del Carmen $1,215

Estimated couple costs with rent: $997 in Ambon versus $2,144 in Playa del Carmen.

Ambon $997
Playa del Carmen $2,144

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,368 in Ambon versus $3,072 in Playa del Carmen.

Ambon $1,368
Playa del Carmen $3,072

Living in Ambon costs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.10 Rp 19.6K

$10.97 MX$201

-89.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.77 Rp 246.2K

$44.85 MX$823

-69.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 Rp 68.3K

$11.92 MX$219

-67.95%

Cappuccino

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$3.80 MX$69.9

-61.32%

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

$0.43 Rp 7,711

$1.31 MX$24.08

-67.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 Rp 5,155

$0.86 MX$15.72

-66.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 Rp 40.9K

$3.21 MX$59.0

-28.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 Rp 61.8K

$5.01 MX$92.0

-30.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.46 MX$26.77

-26.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$2.33 MX$42.72

-57.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.44 MX$26.48

-44.44%

Eggs

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

$2.46 MX$45.20

-44.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 Rp 131.1K

$7.70 MX$141

-4.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 Rp 52.4K

$7.89 MX$145

-62.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 Rp 138.0K

$12.80 MX$235

-39.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 39.9K

$2.92 MX$53.6

-23.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$1.42 MX$26.11

-9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.3K

$2.57 MX$47.10

-33.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.6K

$2.14 MX$39.24

-40.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$1.95 MX$35.75

-33.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

$1.94 MX$35.55

2.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.15 MX$21.13

-36.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,711

$1.22 MX$22.42

-64.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 Rp 40.9K

$4.38 MX$80.3

-47.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.10 Rp 377.1K

$9.85 MX$181

114.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.54 MX$28.23

17.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 Rp 54.5K

$2.72 MX$49.86

12.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,719

$0.52 MX$9.64

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.64 Rp 297.5K

$27.42 MX$503

-39.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,372

$4.91 MX$90.2

-89.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 Rp 6,402

$3.52 MX$64.7

-89.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 Rp 48.0K

$5.69 MX$104

-52.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$1.54 MX$28.27

-47.40%

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

$21.1K Rp 377.3M

$21.2K MX$389.9K

-0.63%

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

$27.3K Rp 487.1M

$24.5K MX$449.6K

11.29%

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

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

$83.6 MX$1,535

-31.23%

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

$5.48 Rp 97.9K

$24.03 MX$441

-77.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 Rp 337.4K

$29.33 MX$539

-35.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.58 Rp 332.0K

$64.9 MX$1,191

-71.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 Rp 137.5K

$29.46 MX$541

-73.90%

Cinema Ticket

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

$5.09 MX$93.4

-73.08%

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

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$208 MX$3,813

-54.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,994 Rp 125.0M

$4,045 MX$74.3K

72.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.94 Rp 767.5K

$44.55 MX$818

-3.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.09 Rp 573.6K

$42.06 MX$772

-23.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

$75.5 MX$1,387

-3.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

$91.4 MX$1,678

-21.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 Rp 3.7M

$986 MX$18.1K

-79.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 Rp 2.3M

$385 MX$7,072

-67.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 Rp 8.5M

$1,713 MX$31.5K

-72.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 Rp 7.2M

$1,108 MX$20.4K

-63.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,004 Rp 17.9M

$4,016 MX$73.7K

-75.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$915 Rp 16.4M

$6,247 MX$114.7K

-85.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$125 Rp 2.2M

$758 MX$13.9K

-83.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

11.45

-17.38%

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

Last update for Ambon: October 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Ambon

$194 32.3%

Playa del Carmen

$260 21.2% 33.9% $66

Accommodation & Living

Ambon

$127 21.1%

Playa del Carmen

$385 31.4% 204% $258

Clothing & Footwear

Ambon

$99 16.4%

Playa del Carmen

$114 9.3% 15.4% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ambon

$82 13.6%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.2% 67.3% $55

Eating Out

Ambon

$59 9.8%

Playa del Carmen

$204 16.6% 245% $145

Sport & Entertainment

Ambon

$21 3.5%

Playa del Carmen

$75 6.1% 252% $54

Getting Around

Ambon

$20 3.3%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.2% 160% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Ambon and $986 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 507% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Ambon vs $45.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $260 per month, with Ambon cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ambon

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

19:33 7:33 PM

05:33 5:33 AM

14 h behind Ambon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

275,888

149,923

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,030 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ambon Playa del Carmen 15,760 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Ambon
Playa del Carmen

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

Ambon vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 507% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $207 in Ambon versus $986 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $625 per month in Ambon versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 65% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $625 in Ambon versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $625 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ambon and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.