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: $940 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,630 in Denpasar, Bali versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,320 in Denpasar, Bali versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Denpasar, Bali costs roughly 27% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 30% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 Rp 41.2K

$11.94 MX$208

-80.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.86 Rp 377.5K

$42.75 MX$744

-48.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 Rp 57.0K

$10.59 MX$184

-68.84%

Cappuccino

$1.90 Rp 32.9K

$3.62 MX$63.0

-47.51%

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

$0.89 Rp 15.4K

$1.47 MX$25.54

-39.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,490

$0.94 MX$16.41

-47.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 Rp 33.7K

$3.09 MX$53.8

-36.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 Rp 43.4K

$4.46 MX$77.6

-43.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 Rp 24.3K

$1.43 MX$24.80

-1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 Rp 35.3K

$1.88 MX$32.79

8.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 16.6K

$1.63 MX$28.34

-41.10%

Eggs

$2.00 Rp 34.6K

$2.64 MX$45.99

-24.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 Rp 202.1K

$8.21 MX$143

42.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 Rp 59.2K

$8.29 MX$144

-58.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 Rp 164.5K

$11.10 MX$193

-14.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 Rp 53.6K

$2.65 MX$46.14

16.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 21.7K

$1.50 MX$26.11

-16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 39.5K

$1.99 MX$34.59

15.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 32.3K

$2.08 MX$36.13

-10.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 27.9K

$1.79 MX$31.11

-9.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 30.8K

$2.18 MX$37.87

-18.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 Rp 14.0K

$1.08 MX$18.73

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Rp 9,961

$1.04 MX$18.04

-44.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 Rp 45.7K

$3.97 MX$69.1

-33.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.10 Rp 329.9K

$10.20 MX$178

87.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 Rp 40.0K

$1.73 MX$30.04

34.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 39.0K

$2.50 MX$43.46

-9.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,510

$0.52 MX$9.02

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.43 Rp 128.2K

$26.97 MX$469

-72.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 Rp 6,892

$3.14 MX$54.7

-87.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 Rp 7,161

$2.40 MX$41.80

-82.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 Rp 93.2K

$3.09 MX$53.7

74.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.1K

$1.27 MX$22.16

-40.16%

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

$23.2K Rp 401.1M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-24.78%

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

$28.4K Rp 491.0M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

21.97%

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

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

$82.0 MX$1,427

-10.73%

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

$3.67 Rp 63.4K

$22.45 MX$391

-83.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.40 Rp 369.5K

$29.66 MX$516

-27.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

$51.9 MX$903

34.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.67 Rp 80.6K

$18.67 MX$325

-74.99%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 Rp 48.6K

$4.97 MX$86.5

-43.46%

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

$234 Rp 4.0M

$198 MX$3,442

18.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,114 Rp 88.3M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-3.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.27 Rp 798.8K

$36.34 MX$632

27.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 Rp 556.0K

$40.05 MX$697

-19.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 Rp 1.3M

$79.9 MX$1,390

-7.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.2 Rp 1.2M

$88.9 MX$1,547

-24.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 Rp 8.8M

$963 MX$16.8K

-46.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Rp 5.9M

$465 MX$8,086

-25.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 Rp 31.1M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

13.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 Rp 18.4M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-11.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,591 Rp 27.5M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-59.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,226 Rp 21.2M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-80.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$293 Rp 5.1M

$720 MX$12.5K

-59.39%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Denpasar, Bali and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 146% 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 $242 vs $251 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 37% in total monthly costs ($940 vs $1,287 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 146% 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: $512 in Denpasar, Bali versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $940 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Denpasar, Bali runs roughly 263% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $940 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,287 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 37% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.