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: $672 in Balikpapan versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,070 in Balikpapan versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Balikpapan versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Balikpapan costs roughly 47% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Balikpapan 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$11.60 MX$200

-88.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

$47.11 MX$812

-76.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

$11.88 MX$205

-73.32%

Cappuccino

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

$3.98 MX$68.6

-63.57%

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

$0.38 Rp 6,782

$1.43 MX$24.60

-73.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,529

$0.82 MX$14.22

-54.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

$3.19 MX$55.0

-24.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

$6.79 MX$117

-48.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

$1.68 MX$28.89

-29.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$2.20 MX$37.88

-49.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

$1.71 MX$29.45

-31.58%

Eggs

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

$2.74 MX$47.26

-5.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

$9.58 MX$165

-23.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

$9.01 MX$155

-67.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

$12.81 MX$221

-47.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.89 MX$49.81

-21.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

$1.50 MX$25.81

-15.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

$2.15 MX$37.03

-20.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$2.26 MX$38.96

-44.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

$1.98 MX$34.15

-33.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

$1.99 MX$34.30

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$1.23 MX$21.28

-40.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$1.20 MX$20.63

-42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$4.55 MX$78.5

-58.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

$10.37 MX$179

98.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.62 MX$27.91

17.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

$2.88 MX$49.67

4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 Rp 9,817

$0.60 MX$10.35

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$5.39 MX$92.9

-78.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 5,944

$3.73 MX$64.3

-90.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

$5.77 MX$99.5

-49.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.54 MX$26.48

-50.65%

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

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

4.26%

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

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

19.64%

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

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

$91.4 MX$1,576

-23.53%

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

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$25.20 MX$435

-82.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

$31.24 MX$539

-5.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-63.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

$29.11 MX$502

-70.32%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$4.86 MX$83.8

-41.36%

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

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

$224 MX$3,856

-57.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

63.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

$47.10 MX$812

-18.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

$44.29 MX$764

-55.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 Rp 2.5M

$80.1 MX$1,381

76.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$92.7 MX$1,598

-23.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 Rp 3.6M

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-80.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$390 MX$6,728

-59.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 Rp 9.9M

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-74.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 Rp 6.5M

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-71.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-73.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$709 Rp 12.6M

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-89.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 Rp 4.3M

$758 MX$13.1K

-67.63%

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 Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Balikpapan and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 209% 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: $11.00 in Balikpapan vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $276 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 88% in total monthly costs ($672 vs $1,266 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 209% 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: $203 in Balikpapan versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.7 in Balikpapan versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Balikpapan – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $672 in Balikpapan versus $1,266 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 88% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.