๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Cemagi, Bali versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Cemagi, Bali versus $2,158 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,047 in Cemagi, Bali versus $3,054 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Living in Cemagi, Bali costs roughly 5% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both cities sit below the global median: Cemagi, Bali11% lower, Playa del Carmen6% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Cemagi, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.95Rpย 50.5K
$11.61MX$201
-74.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.99Rpย 462.4K
$42.75MX$740
-36.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.21Rpย 72.1K
$10.60MX$184
-60.28%
Cappuccino
$2.29Rpย 39.2K
$3.59MX$62.2
-36.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14Rpย 19.5K
$1.45MX$25.15
-21.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61Rpย 10.5K
$0.90MX$15.55
-32.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39Rpย 41.0K
$3.03MX$52.5
-21.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14Rpย 53.9K
$4.56MX$79.0
-31.14%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Cemagi, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.73Rpย 29.6K
$1.45MX$25.14
19.31%
White Bread(500g)
$2.30Rpย 39.5K
$1.83MX$31.64
25.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.15Rpย 19.7K
$1.61MX$27.85
-28.57%
Eggs
$2.35Rpย 40.3K
$2.54MX$43.95
-7.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.87Rpย 237.8K
$8.54MX$148
62.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.06Rpย 69.5K
$8.47MX$147
-52.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.22Rpย 192.3K
$10.86MX$188
3.31%
Apples(1kg)
$3.66Rpย 62.7K
$2.73MX$47.26
34.07%
Banana(1kg)
$1.53Rpย 26.2K
$1.49MX$25.85
2.68%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.58Rpย 44.2K
$1.94MX$33.65
32.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13Rpย 36.6K
$2.16MX$37.49
-1.39%
Potato(1kg)
$1.91Rpย 32.7K
$1.85MX$31.97
3.24%
Onion(1kg)
$2.15Rpย 36.9K
$2.19MX$37.91
-1.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04Rpย 17.7K
$1.07MX$18.58
-2.80%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74Rpย 12.7K
$1.08MX$18.76
-31.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13Rpย 53.6K
$4.06MX$70.3
-22.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$22.54Rpย 386.2K
$10.46MX$181
115.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.71Rpย 46.5K
$1.65MX$28.64
64.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64Rpย 45.3K
$2.55MX$44.13
3.53%
๐ Getting Around
Cemagi, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.32Rpย 5,564
$0.56MX$9.63
-42.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.84Rpย 151.5K
$26.20MX$454
-66.26%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.50Rpย 8,576
$3.14MX$54.4
-84.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.46Rpย 7,870
$2.37MX$41.08
-80.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.59Rpย 113.0K
$3.24MX$56.1
103.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95Rpย 16.2K
$1.31MX$22.76
-27.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.2KRpย 499.6M
$30.5KMX$528.9K
-4.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.9KRpย 598.1M
$23.8KMX$412.6K
46.52%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cemagi, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$80.1Rpย 1.4M
$83.1MX$1,440
-3.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.02Rpย 68.9K
$22.15MX$384
-81.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.67Rpย 405.6K
$29.37MX$509
-19.41%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Cemagi, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$87.2Rpย 1.5M
$51.2MX$887
70.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.96Rpย 102.1K
$18.69MX$324
-68.11%
Cinema Ticket
$3.68Rpย 63.0K
$4.89MX$84.7
-24.74%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Cemagi, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$286Rpย 4.9M
$199MX$3,441
43.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,194Rpย 106.1M
$5,207MX$90.2K
18.96%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Cemagi, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.1Rpย 874.8K
$35.93MX$622
42.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.78Rpย 613.1K
$39.39MX$682
-9.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.9Rpย 1.4M
$80.3MX$1,391
3.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.0Rpย 1.3M
$87.6MX$1,517
-16.58%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Cemagi, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$739Rpย 12.7M
$963MX$16.7K
-23.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$491Rpย 8.4M
$482MX$8,350
1.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,549Rpย 43.7M
$1,645MX$28.5K
54.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,533Rpย 26.3M
$1,192MX$20.6K
28.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,258Rpย 38.7M
$3,957MX$68.5K
-42.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,726Rpย 29.6M
$6,513MX$112.8K
-73.51%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Cemagi, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$726MX$12.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.28
11.42
16.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cemagi, Bali: April 12, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $739 in Cemagi, Bali and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $27 in Cemagi, Bali vs $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $253, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.
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
Cemagi, Bali vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Cemagi, Bali and Playa del Carmen?
Cemagi, Bali and Playa del Carmen differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,204 vs $1,262 including rent). Cemagi, Bali is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Cemagi, Bali compared to Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $1,805 in Cemagi, Bali and $1,894 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Cemagi, Bali and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $739 in Cemagi, Bali versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Cemagi, Bali and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $286 in Cemagi, Bali versus $199 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,204 in Cemagi, Bali versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cemagi, Bali but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cemagi, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Cemagi, Bali and Playa del Carmen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Cemagi, Bali or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Cemagi, Bali 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.
Where should expats move: Cemagi, Bali or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Cemagi, Bali gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 5% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Cemagi, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared