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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,664 per month in Canggu, Bali vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,077 per month in Canggu, Bali vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,491 per month in Canggu, Bali vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Canggu, Bali costs about 31% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Canggu, Bali sits 24% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Canggu, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.18 Rp 74.9K
$11.87 MX$204
-64.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.29 Rp 704.0K
$42.90 MX$736
-8.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.10 Rp 109.2K
$10.65 MX$183
-42.72%
Cappuccino
$3.45 Rp 61.8K
$3.45 MX$59.2
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 Rp 30.1K
$1.50 MX$25.81
12.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 Rp 15.3K
$0.95 MX$16.28
-9.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.53 Rp 63.2K
$3.03 MX$51.9
16.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63 Rp 83.0K
$4.61 MX$79.1
0.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Canggu, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.87 Rp 33.4K
$1.38 MX$23.61
35.51%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 Rp 47.2K
$1.85 MX$31.70
42.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 21.4K
$1.61 MX$27.65
-26.09%
Eggs
$2.57 Rp 46.0K
$2.59 MX$44.51
-0.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.54 Rp 278.4K
$8.26 MX$142
88.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.61 Rp 82.5K
$8.37 MX$144
-44.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 Rp 227.4K
$10.66 MX$183
19.04%
Apples (1kg)
$3.83 Rp 68.7K
$2.63 MX$45.12
45.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 Rp 30.4K
$1.49 MX$25.53
14.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.96 Rp 53.1K
$1.92 MX$32.94
54.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.43 Rp 43.5K
$2.09 MX$35.81
16.27%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 Rp 36.3K
$1.86 MX$31.88
8.60%
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 Rp 42.8K
$2.26 MX$38.81
5.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 Rp 20.1K
$1.06 MX$18.23
5.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
$1.09 MX$18.67
-31.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.39 Rp 60.8K
$4.15 MX$71.2
-18.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.24 Rp 434.2K
$10.39 MX$178
133.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.3K
$1.72 MX$29.59
73.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 Rp 53.6K
$2.61 MX$44.85
14.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Canggu, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 Rp 5,890
$0.54 MX$9.30
-38.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.09 Rp 180.8K
$26.94 MX$462
-62.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.57 Rp 10.3K
$3.13 MX$53.7
-81.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.55 Rp 9,796
$2.51 MX$43.09
-78.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.26 Rp 130.0K
$3.15 MX$54.1
130.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 Rp 17.6K
$1.27 MX$21.88
-22.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.3K Rp 560.7M
$30.4K MX$521.3K
3.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.0K Rp 698.1M
$23.6K MX$404.5K
65.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Canggu, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.1 Rp 1.5M
$83.0 MX$1,425
1.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.16 Rp 74.6K
$22.71 MX$390
-81.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.85 Rp 445.2K
$29.46 MX$506
-15.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Canggu, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$115 Rp 2.1M
$51.0 MX$875
125.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.75 Rp 138.9K
$18.33 MX$315
-57.72%
Cinema Ticket
$4.61 Rp 82.6K
$4.93 MX$84.5
-6.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Canggu, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$326 Rp 5.8M
$197 MX$3,386
65.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,342 Rp 131.5M
$5,280 MX$90.6K
39.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Canggu, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.2 Rp 1.0M
$36.90 MX$633
54.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.26 Rp 721.3K
$39.89 MX$685
0.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.3 Rp 1.6M
$80.0 MX$1,373
12.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.0 Rp 1.5M
$89.5 MX$1,536
-8.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Canggu, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 Rp 23.7M
$956 MX$16.4K
38.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$881 Rp 15.8M
$477 MX$8,189
84.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,384 Rp 78.5M
$1,646 MX$28.3K
166.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,712 Rp 48.6M
$1,225 MX$21.0K
121.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,669 Rp 65.7M
$3,918 MX$67.2K
-6.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,910 Rp 52.1M
$6,459 MX$110.9K
-54.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Canggu, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$667 MX$11.4K
-
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 Canggu, Bali: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,322 in Canggu, Bali versus $956 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Canggu, Bali versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $315 in Canggu, Bali vs $250 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
Canggu, Bali vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Canggu, Bali and Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,664 in Canggu, Bali, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 31% apart. Canggu, Bali costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Canggu, Bali compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,496 per month in Canggu, Bali and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Canggu, Bali and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Canggu, Bali or Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,664 in Canggu, Bali and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How do commuting costs compare in Canggu, Bali and Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 167% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Canggu, Bali at $1,664. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Canggu, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Canggu, Bali and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Canggu, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $1,664 in Canggu, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Canggu, Bali or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Canggu, Bali and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Canggu, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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