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 $1,290 per month in Bali vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,302 per month in Bali vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,314 per month in Bali vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bali costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bali and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Bali 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 Rp 51.4K

$11.99 MX$209

-76.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.11 Rp 487.2K

$41.78 MX$728

-35.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 Rp 76.3K

$10.75 MX$187

-60.47%

Cappuccino

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$3.50 MX$60.9

-36.00%

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

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

$1.45 MX$25.22

-20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

$0.88 MX$15.41

-34.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 43.5K

$2.95 MX$51.3

-17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 Rp 59.6K

$4.51 MX$78.6

-26.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

$1.43 MX$24.94

16.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.84 MX$31.99

32.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 19.6K

$1.57 MX$27.31

-30.57%

Eggs

$2.25 Rp 40.5K

$2.51 MX$43.74

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.93 Rp 250.3K

$8.28 MX$144

68.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 73.7K

$8.43 MX$147

-51.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 Rp 203.8K

$10.68 MX$186

6.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 65.8K

$2.61 MX$45.43

40.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.7K

$1.44 MX$25.04

6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 Rp 47.8K

$1.96 MX$34.16

35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$2.09 MX$36.47

5.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

$1.85 MX$32.24

-1.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 Rp 37.4K

$2.17 MX$37.74

-4.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$1.03 MX$17.96

0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$1.07 MX$18.70

-35.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 Rp 55.8K

$4.10 MX$71.4

-24.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.34 Rp 401.5K

$10.17 MX$177

119.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 Rp 47.2K

$1.68 MX$29.17

55.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 47.6K

$2.53 MX$43.98

4.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,804

$0.51 MX$8.87

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.19 Rp 147.1K

$26.04 MX$453

-68.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,084

$3.23 MX$56.3

-86.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,243

$2.41 MX$41.88

-80.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 Rp 107.7K

$3.23 MX$56.2

85.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.32 MX$23.00

-37.88%

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

$26.0K Rp 466.5M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-12.59%

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

$32.6K Rp 585.7M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

37.74%

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

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$82.0 MX$1,428

-3.24%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$22.95 MX$400

-82.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.04 Rp 432.1K

$30.11 MX$524

-20.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 Rp 1.4M

$52.0 MX$905

55.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.47 Rp 98.2K

$18.53 MX$323

-70.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 59.1K

$4.98 MX$86.6

-33.94%

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

$273 Rp 4.9M

$197 MX$3,438

38.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,104 Rp 109.7M

$5,336 MX$92.9K

14.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 Rp 943.7K

$35.60 MX$620

47.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.11 Rp 666.9K

$40.33 MX$702

-7.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

$78.8 MX$1,371

5.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$88.9 MX$1,549

-18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 Rp 15.5M

$947 MX$16.5K

-9.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 Rp 10.5M

$474 MX$8,254

22.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,932 Rp 52.7M

$1,644 MX$28.6K

78.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 Rp 32.4M

$1,211 MX$21.1K

48.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,406 Rp 43.2M

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-40.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,957 Rp 35.2M

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-69.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 Rp 4.0M

$654 MX$11.4K

-66.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.42

16.29%

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

Last update for Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in Bali versus $947 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 196% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bali versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Bali vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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

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

Bali costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,935 per month in Bali and $1,884 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $27.00 in Bali and $42.00 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 $1,290 in Bali and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Bali at $1,290. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $1,290 in Bali. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.