Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Denpasar, Bali: $896 a month against $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. The total is higher in Playa del Carmen despite lower rent and utilities.

44

Cost of Living Index in Denpasar, Bali
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Denpasar, Bali Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Denpasar, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$896

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,215

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Denpasar, Bali and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Denpasar, Bali and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $896 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen.

Denpasar, Bali $896
Playa del Carmen $1,215

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,522 in Denpasar, Bali versus $2,144 in Playa del Carmen.

Denpasar, Bali $1,522
Playa del Carmen $2,144

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,148 in Denpasar, Bali versus $3,072 in Playa del Carmen.

Denpasar, Bali $2,148
Playa del Carmen $3,072

Living in Denpasar, Bali costs roughly 26% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 Rp 39.4K

$10.97 MX$200

-79.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.17 Rp 414.6K

$44.85 MX$816

-48.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.91 Rp 70.0K

$11.92 MX$217

-67.20%

Cappuccino

$1.75 Rp 31.4K

$3.80 MX$69.2

-53.95%

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

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$1.31 MX$23.86

-17.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,211

$0.86 MX$15.58

-40.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

$3.21 MX$58.4

-43.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 Rp 53.3K

$5.01 MX$91.2

-40.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 Rp 22.8K

$1.46 MX$26.53

-12.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 Rp 33.4K

$2.33 MX$42.33

-19.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.44 MX$26.24

-29.86%

Eggs

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$2.46 MX$44.78

-29.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 Rp 246.1K

$7.70 MX$140

78.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 Rp 57.2K

$7.89 MX$144

-59.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 Rp 171.9K

$12.80 MX$233

-24.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 Rp 52.9K

$2.92 MX$53.1

1.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.5K

$1.42 MX$25.87

-11.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$2.57 MX$46.66

-29.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$2.14 MX$38.88

-27.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$1.95 MX$35.42

-22.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 35.0K

$1.94 MX$35.22

1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.15 MX$20.94

-32.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,743

$1.22 MX$22.21

-64.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 Rp 33.1K

$4.38 MX$79.6

-57.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.22 Rp 326.0K

$9.85 MX$179

84.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 Rp 34.7K

$1.54 MX$27.97

25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

$2.72 MX$49.40

-12.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,304

$0.52 MX$9.55

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 128.3K

$27.42 MX$499

-73.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 Rp 7,112

$4.91 MX$89.4

-91.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,428

$3.52 MX$64.1

-88.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 Rp 55.9K

$5.69 MX$103

-45.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.54 MX$28.01

-51.30%

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

$21.5K Rp 384.3M

$21.2K MX$386.3K

1.14%

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

$28.0K Rp 501.7M

$24.5K MX$445.4K

14.52%

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

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

$83.6 MX$1,521

-13.05%

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

$5.91 Rp 105.7K

$24.03 MX$437

-75.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.47 Rp 294.6K

$29.33 MX$534

-43.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.87 Rp 713.2K

$64.9 MX$1,180

-38.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.71 Rp 227.4K

$29.46 MX$536

-56.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 Rp 53.8K

$5.09 MX$92.5

-40.86%

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

$381 Rp 6.8M

$208 MX$3,778

83.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,359 Rp 78.0M

$4,045 MX$73.6K

7.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.61 Rp 708.5K

$44.55 MX$810

-11.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.69 Rp 531.2K

$42.06 MX$765

-29.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 Rp 1.2M

$75.5 MX$1,374

-10.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

$91.4 MX$1,662

-25.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 Rp 10.6M

$986 MX$17.9K

-39.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 Rp 6.3M

$385 MX$7,007

-8.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 Rp 32.6M

$1,713 MX$31.2K

6.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 Rp 16.4M

$1,108 MX$20.2K

-17.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,461 Rp 26.1M

$4,016 MX$73.0K

-63.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 Rp 21.3M

$6,247 MX$113.6K

-80.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 Rp 5.1M

$758 MX$13.8K

-62.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.45

20.35%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: October 3, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Denpasar, Bali

$353 39.1%

Playa del Carmen

$385 31.4% 9.2% $32

Groceries & Markets

Denpasar, Bali

$234 25.9%

Playa del Carmen

$260 21.2% 11.4% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Denpasar, Bali

$95 10.5%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.2% 44.1% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Denpasar, Bali

$92 10.2%

Playa del Carmen

$114 9.3% 23.5% $22

Eating Out

Denpasar, Bali

$72 8%

Playa del Carmen

$204 16.6% 184% $132

Sport & Entertainment

Denpasar, Bali

$46 5.1%

Playa del Carmen

$75 6.1% 63.5% $29

Getting Around

Denpasar, Bali

$11 1.2%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.2% 391% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $594 in Denpasar, Bali and $986 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 167% 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: $23.00 in Denpasar, Bali vs $45.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $260 per month, with Denpasar, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Denpasar, Bali

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

14:45 2:45 PM

01:45 1:45 AM

13 h behind Denpasar, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

788,445

149,923

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR

100 MXN = 5.5 USD

100 MXN = 4.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,890 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,065 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.19 MXN (100 MXN = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20.4 MXN (100 MXN = 4.9 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Denpasar, Bali Playa del Carmen 17,280 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Denpasar, Bali
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 36% in total monthly costs ($896 vs $1,215 including rent). Denpasar, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 167% 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: $594 in Denpasar, Bali versus $986 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $896 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Denpasar, Bali runs roughly 282% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $896 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,215 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 36% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.