Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Jakarta: $793 a month against $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Jakarta
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Jakarta Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Jakarta

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$793

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,215

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jakarta 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 Jakarta and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $793 per month in Jakarta vs $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jakarta $793
Playa del Carmen $1,215

A couple spends around $1,283 per month in Jakarta vs $2,144 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jakarta $1,283
Playa del Carmen $2,144

A family of three spends $1,772 per month in Jakarta vs $3,072 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jakarta $1,772
Playa del Carmen $3,072

Jakarta is about 35% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Jakarta and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

$10.97 MX$201

-76.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.93 Rp 302.6K

$44.85 MX$823

-62.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 Rp 59.5K

$11.92 MX$219

-72.06%

Cappuccino

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$3.80 MX$69.9

-47.37%

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

$0.43 Rp 7,768

$1.31 MX$24.08

-67.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,468

$0.86 MX$15.72

-70.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 Rp 45.9K

$3.21 MX$59.0

-19.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 68.8K

$5.01 MX$92.0

-23.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

$1.46 MX$26.77

-2.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 Rp 19.4K

$2.33 MX$42.72

-53.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 Rp 16.2K

$1.44 MX$26.48

-36.81%

Eggs

$1.77 Rp 31.7K

$2.46 MX$45.20

-28.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 Rp 164.8K

$7.70 MX$141

19.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 Rp 55.5K

$7.89 MX$145

-60.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 Rp 139.0K

$12.80 MX$235

-39.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 Rp 51.4K

$2.92 MX$53.6

-1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

$1.42 MX$26.11

-7.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 Rp 44.6K

$2.57 MX$47.10

-2.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

$2.14 MX$39.24

-35.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.95 MX$35.75

-29.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

$1.94 MX$35.55

8.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$1.15 MX$21.13

-18.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,098

$1.22 MX$22.42

-58.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 Rp 50.0K

$4.38 MX$80.3

-36.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.83 Rp 372.4K

$9.85 MX$181

111.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 Rp 36.7K

$1.54 MX$28.23

33.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 54.3K

$2.72 MX$49.86

11.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,805

$0.52 MX$9.64

-48.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.86 Rp 211.9K

$27.42 MX$503

-56.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,975

$4.91 MX$90.2

-89.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,883

$3.52 MX$64.7

-90.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 Rp 61.1K

$5.69 MX$104

-39.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.54 MX$28.27

-43.51%

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

$27.8K Rp 496.4M

$21.2K MX$389.9K

30.76%

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

$32.6K Rp 583.0M

$24.5K MX$449.6K

33.18%

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

$106 Rp 1.9M

$83.6 MX$1,535

26.61%

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

$6.04 Rp 107.9K

$24.03 MX$441

-74.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.04 Rp 340.4K

$29.33 MX$539

-35.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.65 Rp 458.4K

$64.9 MX$1,191

-60.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 Rp 244.1K

$29.46 MX$541

-53.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$5.09 MX$93.4

-35.36%

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

$153 Rp 2.7M

$208 MX$3,813

-26.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,270 Rp 147.8M

$4,045 MX$74.3K

104.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 Rp 1.0M

$44.55 MX$818

31.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.37 Rp 507.1K

$42.06 MX$772

-32.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$75.5 MX$1,387

-6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 Rp 1.9M

$91.4 MX$1,678

15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 Rp 6.6M

$986 MX$18.1K

-62.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 Rp 3.6M

$385 MX$7,072

-48.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 Rp 20.6M

$1,713 MX$31.5K

-32.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 Rp 9.9M

$1,108 MX$20.4K

-49.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,023 Rp 54.0M

$4,016 MX$73.7K

-24.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 Rp 25.8M

$6,247 MX$114.7K

-76.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$449 Rp 8.0M

$758 MX$13.9K

-40.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

11.45

-17.38%

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

Last update for Jakarta: October 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jakarta

$218 27.5%

Playa del Carmen

$260 21.2% 19.5% $43

Accommodation & Living

Jakarta

$200 25.3%

Playa del Carmen

$385 31.4% 92.3% $185

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jakarta

$131 16.5%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.2% 4.6% $6

Clothing & Footwear

Jakarta

$119 15%

Playa del Carmen

$114 9.3% 3.9% $4.6

Eating Out

Jakarta

$78 9.9%

Playa del Carmen

$204 16.6% 160% $126

Sport & Entertainment

Jakarta

$32 4.1%

Playa del Carmen

$75 6.1% 133% $43

Getting Around

Jakarta

$15 1.9%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.2% 245% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $370 in Jakarta versus $986 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 69% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Jakarta versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $260 – making Jakarta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Jakarta

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

08:15 8:15 AM

20:15 8:15 PM

12 h behind Jakarta

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,337,563 Capital

149,923

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 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 = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,048 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jakarta Playa del Carmen 17,820 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Jakarta
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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 53% more than Jakarta, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,190 per month in Jakarta and $1,823 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jakarta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $153 per month in Jakarta and $208 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jakarta, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. In Jakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jakarta costs $793 versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Jakarta. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.