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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Balikpapan versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,193 in Balikpapan versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,612 in Balikpapan versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Balikpapan costs roughly 40% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Balikpapan 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 26.3K

$11.94 MX$208

-87.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.63 Rp 269.8K

$42.75 MX$744

-63.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.42 Rp 59.0K

$10.59 MX$184

-67.71%

Cappuccino

$1.81 Rp 31.2K

$3.62 MX$63.0

-50.00%

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

$0.44 Rp 7,600

$1.47 MX$25.54

-70.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 Rp 6,692

$0.94 MX$16.41

-58.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 Rp 35.1K

$3.09 MX$53.8

-34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 Rp 54.6K

$4.46 MX$77.6

-29.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 30.9K

$1.43 MX$24.80

25.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 Rp 21.3K

$1.88 MX$32.79

-34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.0K

$1.63 MX$28.34

-21.47%

Eggs

$2.66 Rp 46.0K

$2.64 MX$45.99

0.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 Rp 136.8K

$8.21 MX$143

-3.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 Rp 82.9K

$8.29 MX$144

-42.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 Rp 137.9K

$11.10 MX$193

-28.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 62.8K

$2.65 MX$46.14

37.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 25.9K

$1.50 MX$26.11

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 36.8K

$1.99 MX$34.59

7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$2.08 MX$36.13

-42.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.1K

$1.79 MX$31.11

3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 65.0K

$2.18 MX$37.87

72.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 Rp 17.2K

$1.08 MX$18.73

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 Rp 13.9K

$1.04 MX$18.04

-22.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 Rp 35.7K

$3.97 MX$69.1

-48.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.43 Rp 387.4K

$10.20 MX$178

119.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 Rp 37.6K

$1.73 MX$30.04

26.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 Rp 75.7K

$2.50 MX$43.46

75.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 Rp 10.7K

$0.52 MX$9.02

19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.73 Rp 168.1K

$26.97 MX$469

-63.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 Rp 21.5K

$3.14 MX$54.7

-60.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 5,912

$2.40 MX$41.80

-85.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 Rp 104.4K

$3.09 MX$53.7

95.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.5K

$1.27 MX$22.16

-38.58%

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

$24.6K Rp 424.3M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-20.44%

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

$25.9K Rp 447.2M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

11.08%

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

$91.7 Rp 1.6M

$82.0 MX$1,427

11.85%

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

$3.06 Rp 52.8K

$22.45 MX$391

-86.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.34 Rp 558.4K

$29.66 MX$516

9.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.34 Rp 368.4K

$51.9 MX$903

-58.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.26 Rp 108.0K

$18.67 MX$325

-66.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 Rp 51.7K

$4.97 MX$86.5

-39.64%

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

$60.9 Rp 1.1M

$198 MX$3,442

-69.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,667 Rp 132.4M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

45.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.90 Rp 723.4K

$36.34 MX$632

15.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.46 Rp 353.2K

$40.05 MX$697

-48.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 Rp 2.2M

$79.9 MX$1,390

56.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Rp 2.1M

$88.9 MX$1,547

36.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 Rp 3.7M

$963 MX$16.8K

-77.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.7M

$465 MX$8,086

-66.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 Rp 8.6M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-68.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 Rp 5.2M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-74.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,193 Rp 20.6M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-69.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$876 Rp 15.1M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-86.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$204 Rp 3.5M

$720 MX$12.5K

-71.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

31.35%

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

Last update for Balikpapan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $217 in Balikpapan and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 252% 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: $16.00 in Balikpapan vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $251 per month, with Balikpapan cheaper across the board.

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

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

Balikpapan and Playa del Carmen differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($774 vs $1,287 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 252% less. 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: $217 in Balikpapan versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 177% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $60.9 in Balikpapan versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $774 in Balikpapan versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.