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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Bali vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,093 per month in Bali vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,912 per month in Bali vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bali is about 2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bali and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Bali 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 Rp 49.0K

$11.96 MX$203

-76.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.58 Rp 538.3K

$47.38 MX$804

-35.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 Rp 83.0K

$11.75 MX$199

-59.91%

Cappuccino

$2.34 Rp 41.1K

$4.12 MX$70.0

-43.20%

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

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

$1.40 MX$23.74

8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 Rp 11.8K

$0.91 MX$15.48

-26.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 Rp 45.1K

$3.21 MX$54.4

-20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 Rp 64.6K

$7.07 MX$120

-48.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

$1.68 MX$28.44

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 Rp 37.3K

$2.15 MX$36.48

-1.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.77 MX$30.10

-37.29%

Eggs

$2.02 Rp 35.5K

$2.82 MX$47.76

-28.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.67 Rp 293.5K

$9.20 MX$156

81.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 Rp 66.0K

$9.23 MX$157

-59.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 Rp 208.7K

$12.64 MX$214

-6.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 Rp 61.9K

$2.95 MX$50.1

18.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.1K

$1.58 MX$26.79

-2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

$2.22 MX$37.70

1.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 33.7K

$2.36 MX$40.09

-18.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

$1.99 MX$33.81

-13.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 40.5K

$1.98 MX$33.58

16.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.7K

$1.24 MX$21.04

-18.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,046

$1.21 MX$20.55

-57.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 Rp 37.4K

$4.60 MX$78.1

-53.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.59 Rp 380.1K

$10.52 MX$178

105.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

$1.69 MX$28.70

30.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 50.3K

$2.77 MX$47.06

3.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,377

$0.60 MX$10.22

-58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.22 Rp 144.6K

$29.70 MX$504

-72.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,567

$5.24 MX$88.8

-90.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 Rp 8,392

$3.65 MX$61.9

-86.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 Rp 97.1K

$5.78 MX$98.1

-4.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.54 MX$26.09

-47.40%

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

$24.7K Rp 435.2M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

8.41%

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

$31.8K Rp 559.5M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

23.11%

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

$82.8 Rp 1.5M

$90.7 MX$1,538

-8.73%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

$25.19 MX$427

-74.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.04 Rp 335.1K

$31.75 MX$539

-40.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.52 Rp 836.6K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-30.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 Rp 266.6K

$29.37 MX$498

-48.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.77 Rp 66.3K

$4.86 MX$82.5

-22.43%

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

$446 Rp 7.9M

$226 MX$3,828

97.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,332 Rp 93.9M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

27.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.63 Rp 785.8K

$47.38 MX$804

-5.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.69 Rp 593.1K

$43.45 MX$737

-22.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 Rp 1.4M

$80.2 MX$1,361

-3.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$91.4 MX$1,550

-15.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 Rp 17.7M

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 Rp 10.7M

$409 MX$6,933

49.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,095 Rp 54.5M

$1,972 MX$33.5K

56.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 Rp 26.4M

$1,281 MX$21.7K

17.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,478 Rp 43.6M

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-38.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,968 Rp 34.7M

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-70.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$220 Rp 3.9M

$773 MX$13.1K

-71.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.45

20.35%

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

Last update for Bali: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Bali versus $1,086 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 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 $31.00 in Bali versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $278 – making Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,913 per month in Bali and $1,958 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 Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Bali and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,275 in Bali and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,275, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bali costs $1,275 versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bali. 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.