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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,642 in Denpasar, Bali versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,334 in Denpasar, Bali versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Denpasar, Bali costs roughly 25% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

$11.87 MX$204

-80.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.69 Rp 388.7K

$42.90 MX$736

-49.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.23 Rp 58.0K

$10.65 MX$183

-69.67%

Cappuccino

$1.90 Rp 34.1K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-44.93%

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

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

$1.50 MX$25.81

-37.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,337

$0.95 MX$16.28

-50.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

$3.03 MX$51.9

-34.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 Rp 45.8K

$4.61 MX$79.1

-44.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

$1.38 MX$23.61

5.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

$1.85 MX$31.70

7.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.6K

$1.61 MX$27.65

-39.13%

Eggs

$1.98 Rp 35.5K

$2.59 MX$44.51

-23.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.75 Rp 210.4K

$8.26 MX$142

42.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 Rp 60.5K

$8.37 MX$144

-59.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 Rp 176.0K

$10.66 MX$183

-7.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 Rp 53.8K

$2.63 MX$45.12

14.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.2K

$1.49 MX$25.53

-12.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.92 MX$32.94

18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$2.09 MX$35.81

-13.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

$1.86 MX$31.88

-15.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 31.8K

$2.26 MX$38.81

-21.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.06 MX$18.23

-24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

$1.09 MX$18.67

-42.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-37.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.61 Rp 333.4K

$10.39 MX$178

79.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.72 MX$29.59

30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

$2.61 MX$44.85

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,288

$0.54 MX$9.30

-55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.50 Rp 134.4K

$26.94 MX$462

-72.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 Rp 7,327

$3.13 MX$53.7

-86.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,836

$2.51 MX$43.09

-84.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 Rp 100.5K

$3.15 MX$54.1

78.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$1.27 MX$21.88

-39.37%

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

$23.6K Rp 422.0M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-22.46%

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

$29.3K Rp 524.1M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

24.13%

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

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

$83.0 MX$1,425

-13.20%

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

$3.69 Rp 66.1K

$22.71 MX$390

-83.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.33 Rp 382.1K

$29.46 MX$506

-27.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 Rp 1.2M

$51.0 MX$875

34.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.53 Rp 81.2K

$18.33 MX$315

-75.29%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 Rp 51.7K

$4.93 MX$84.5

-41.38%

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

$232 Rp 4.2M

$197 MX$3,386

17.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,015 Rp 89.9M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-5.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.98 Rp 841.7K

$36.90 MX$633

27.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.75 Rp 586.7K

$39.89 MX$685

-17.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$80.0 MX$1,373

-6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

$89.5 MX$1,536

-24.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 Rp 9.2M

$956 MX$16.4K

-46.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 Rp 6.3M

$477 MX$8,189

-26.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,780 Rp 31.9M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

8.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 Rp 19.4M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-11.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,453 Rp 26.0M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-62.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 Rp 21.3M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-81.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$325 Rp 5.8M

$667 MX$11.4K

-51.33%

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 Denpasar, Bali: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Denpasar, Bali and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 105% 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: $22.00 in Denpasar, Bali vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $250 per month, with Denpasar, Bali 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

Denpasar, Bali vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denpasar, Bali and Playa del Carmen differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($950 vs $1,271 including rent). Denpasar, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 105% 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: $515 in Denpasar, Bali versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $950 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Denpasar, Bali runs roughly 259% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $950 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Denpasar, Bali but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Denpasar, Bali 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, Denpasar, 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.

Expats usually find Denpasar, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.