Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $840 per month in Jakarta vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,379 per month in Jakarta vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,919 per month in Jakarta vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jakarta is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jakarta and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 Rp 56.0K

$11.99 MX$209

-74.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.11 Rp 325.4K

$41.78 MX$728

-56.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 Rp 62.3K

$10.75 MX$187

-67.81%

Cappuccino

$2.10 Rp 37.8K

$3.50 MX$60.9

-40.00%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,908

$1.45 MX$25.22

-62.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,086

$0.88 MX$15.41

-68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

$2.95 MX$51.3

-4.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 Rp 75.7K

$4.51 MX$78.6

-6.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.43 MX$24.94

-6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.84 MX$31.99

-36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

$1.57 MX$27.31

-39.49%

Eggs

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$2.51 MX$43.74

-28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 Rp 116.7K

$8.28 MX$144

-21.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

$8.43 MX$147

-61.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 Rp 135.7K

$10.68 MX$186

-29.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

$2.61 MX$45.43

12.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

$1.44 MX$25.04

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.8K

$1.96 MX$34.16

15.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$2.09 MX$36.47

-25.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.85 MX$32.24

-3.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

$2.17 MX$37.74

20.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$1.03 MX$17.96

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,284

$1.07 MX$18.70

-57.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$4.10 MX$71.4

-27.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.56 Rp 369.5K

$10.17 MX$177

102.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$1.68 MX$29.17

31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 Rp 58.3K

$2.53 MX$43.98

28.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,760

$0.51 MX$8.87

-58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 Rp 219.4K

$26.04 MX$453

-53.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,622

$3.23 MX$56.3

-83.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,681

$2.41 MX$41.88

-84.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

$3.23 MX$56.2

-3.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.32 MX$23.00

-39.39%

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

$30.2K Rp 542.7M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

1.69%

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

$32.7K Rp 588.0M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

38.27%

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

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

$82.0 MX$1,428

9.04%

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

$6.51 Rp 116.9K

$22.95 MX$400

-71.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 Rp 488.9K

$30.11 MX$524

-9.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 Rp 538.6K

$52.0 MX$905

-42.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.61 Rp 226.7K

$18.53 MX$323

-31.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

$4.98 MX$86.6

-37.75%

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

$166 Rp 3.0M

$197 MX$3,438

-15.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,566 Rp 171.9M

$5,336 MX$92.9K

79.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

$35.60 MX$620

61.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.85 Rp 608.2K

$40.33 MX$702

-16.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$78.8 MX$1,371

4.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

$88.9 MX$1,549

1.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 Rp 6.8M

$947 MX$16.5K

-59.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 Rp 4.2M

$474 MX$8,254

-50.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 Rp 20.7M

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-29.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.9M

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-45.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 Rp 53.2M

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-27.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,431 Rp 25.7M

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-77.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 Rp 7.6M

$654 MX$11.4K

-35.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

11.42

-16.02%

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

Last update for Jakarta: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Jakarta versus $947 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 55% 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 $18.00 in Jakarta versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $249 – making Jakarta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 50% more than Jakarta, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,260 per month in Jakarta and $1,884 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 $166 per month in Jakarta and $197 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 16% 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 $840, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $840 versus $1,256 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.