Cost of Living Comparison Between Gili Trawangan and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Gili Trawangan and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Gili Trawangan versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,736 in Gili Trawangan versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,499 in Gili Trawangan versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gili Trawangan costs roughly 23% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gili Trawangan 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 Rp 43.1K

$11.95 MX$209

-79.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.82 Rp 391.3K

$41.94 MX$734

-47.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.34 Rp 60.0K

$10.42 MX$182

-67.95%

Cappuccino

$1.87 Rp 33.6K

$3.51 MX$61.5

-46.72%

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

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$1.52 MX$26.53

-42.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,219

$0.91 MX$15.93

-49.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

$3.04 MX$53.2

-36.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 Rp 46.1K

$4.37 MX$76.5

-41.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.42 MX$24.86

-2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.83 MX$32.03

4.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

$1.63 MX$28.60

-44.17%

Eggs

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$2.54 MX$44.43

-29.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 Rp 201.8K

$8.57 MX$150

31.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 Rp 60.1K

$8.49 MX$149

-60.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.34 Rp 167.4K

$10.80 MX$189

-13.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$2.75 MX$48.19

1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

$1.44 MX$25.13

-13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 38.5K

$1.89 MX$33.00

13.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

$2.17 MX$37.96

-21.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$1.78 MX$31.13

-15.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 Rp 31.4K

$2.22 MX$38.91

-21.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.07 MX$18.70

-24.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,819

$1.08 MX$18.89

-49.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 Rp 43.1K

$4.15 MX$72.5

-42.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.88 Rp 320.7K

$10.45 MX$183

71.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 37.9K

$1.74 MX$30.50

21.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

$2.58 MX$45.16

-18.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,487

$0.51 MX$8.98

-50.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 Rp 123.8K

$25.94 MX$454

-73.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 Rp 7,374

$3.21 MX$56.2

-87.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 Rp 6,949

$2.50 MX$43.78

-84.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 Rp 94.2K

$3.19 MX$55.7

64.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 Rp 12.4K

$1.26 MX$21.98

-45.24%

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

$22.1K Rp 395.6M

$29.7K MX$519.3K

-25.71%

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

$26.9K Rp 482.2M

$23.7K MX$414.3K

13.52%

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

$67.8 Rp 1.2M

$82.0 MX$1,435

-17.41%

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

$3.40 Rp 61.0K

$22.73 MX$398

-85.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.73 Rp 371.8K

$29.42 MX$515

-29.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 Rp 1.2M

$52.2 MX$913

30.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.60 Rp 82.6K

$18.45 MX$323

-75.07%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

$4.93 MX$86.3

-41.38%

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

$218 Rp 3.9M

$202 MX$3,530

7.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,891 Rp 87.7M

$5,217 MX$91.3K

-6.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.61 Rp 835.9K

$35.93 MX$629

29.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.32 Rp 597.5K

$40.33 MX$706

-17.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 Rp 1.4M

$79.9 MX$1,397

-5.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.1 Rp 1.2M

$89.3 MX$1,562

-24.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 Rp 10.8M

$948 MX$16.6K

-36.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 Rp 7.4M

$465 MX$8,140

-10.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,097 Rp 37.6M

$1,630 MX$28.5K

28.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,249 Rp 22.4M

$1,193 MX$20.9K

4.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,690 Rp 30.3M

$3,933 MX$68.8K

-57.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 Rp 24.5M

$6,428 MX$112.4K

-78.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

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 Gili Trawangan: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $605 in Gili Trawangan and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in Gili Trawangan vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $252 per month, with Gili Trawangan 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

Gili Trawangan vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gili Trawangan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,461 in Gili Trawangan and $1,888 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $605 in Gili Trawangan versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gili Trawangan – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $974 in Gili Trawangan versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gili Trawangan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gili Trawangan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gili Trawangan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Gili Trawangan 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 Gili Trawangan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.