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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $755 in Bekasi versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,160 in Bekasi versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,566 in Bekasi versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Bekasi 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

$11.99 MX$210

-73.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.19 Rp 218.6K

$41.78 MX$733

-70.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 58.9K

$10.75 MX$189

-69.49%

Cappuccino

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$3.50 MX$61.3

-45.14%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,838

$1.45 MX$25.41

-66.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,064

$0.88 MX$15.52

-68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 Rp 60.1K

$2.95 MX$51.7

13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 Rp 75.9K

$4.51 MX$79.1

-6.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 Rp 22.4K

$1.43 MX$25.12

-12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

$1.84 MX$32.23

-40.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

$1.57 MX$27.51

-34.39%

Eggs

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

$2.51 MX$44.06

-29.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 Rp 161.3K

$8.28 MX$145

8.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

$8.43 MX$148

-62.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 Rp 137.6K

$10.68 MX$187

-28.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 50.6K

$2.61 MX$45.76

8.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.44 MX$25.22

9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.96 MX$34.41

16.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$2.09 MX$36.74

-26.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

$1.85 MX$32.47

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 Rp 46.2K

$2.17 MX$38.02

18.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.03 MX$18.09

3.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,582

$1.07 MX$18.84

-60.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 Rp 45.1K

$4.10 MX$72.0

-38.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.33 Rp 400.6K

$10.17 MX$178

119.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 Rp 37.5K

$1.68 MX$29.38

24.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 55.1K

$2.53 MX$44.31

21.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 Rp 6,964

$0.51 MX$8.93

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.45 Rp 223.3K

$26.04 MX$457

-52.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

$3.23 MX$56.7

-80.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,756

$2.41 MX$42.19

-84.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 Rp 46.5K

$3.23 MX$56.6

-19.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

$1.32 MX$23.17

-41.67%

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

$24.8K Rp 444.9M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-16.49%

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

$25.8K Rp 462.5M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

8.95%

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

$65.0 Rp 1.2M

$82.0 MX$1,439

-20.80%

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

$4.73 Rp 84.8K

$22.95 MX$403

-79.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.82 Rp 463.1K

$30.11 MX$528

-14.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.28 Rp 310.1K

$52.0 MX$912

-66.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.71 Rp 84.5K

$18.53 MX$325

-74.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 Rp 54.1K

$4.98 MX$87.3

-39.56%

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

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

$197 MX$3,463

-49.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,249 Rp 148.0M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

54.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 Rp 1.0M

$35.60 MX$624

58.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 Rp 610.3K

$40.33 MX$707

-15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 Rp 1.5M

$78.8 MX$1,381

6.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 Rp 1.6M

$88.9 MX$1,560

2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 Rp 5.6M

$947 MX$16.6K

-67.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 Rp 3.3M

$474 MX$8,314

-61.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 Rp 9.9M

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-66.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 Rp 6.7M

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-69.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$578 Rp 10.4M

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-85.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$905 Rp 16.2M

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-86.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 Rp 6.4M

$654 MX$11.5K

-45.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Bekasi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in Bekasi and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 84% 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: $12.00 in Bekasi vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $249 per month, with Bekasi 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

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

Bekasi and Playa del Carmen differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($755 vs $1,256 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 84% 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: $310 in Bekasi versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bekasi – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $755 per month in Bekasi versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $755 in Bekasi versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bekasi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bekasi 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.

Expats usually find Bekasi 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.