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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Jimbaran, Bali versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,423 in Jimbaran, Bali versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,497 in Jimbaran, Bali versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jimbaran, Bali is roughly 7% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jimbaran, Bali is 1% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Jimbaran, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.43 Rpย 58.7K
$11.67 MX$202
-70.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.68 Rpย 542.6K
$41.88 MX$725
-24.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.85 Rpย 83.1K
$10.40 MX$180
-53.37%
Cappuccino
$2.61 Rpย 44.8K
$3.61 MX$62.6
-27.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 Rpย 22.0K
$1.47 MX$25.44
-12.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 Rpย 11.3K
$0.91 MX$15.79
-27.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.90 Rpย 49.7K
$3.03 MX$52.5
-4.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 Rpย 64.1K
$4.47 MX$77.4
-16.33%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Jimbaran, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 Rpย 29.3K
$1.38 MX$23.82
23.91%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 Rpย 41.3K
$1.84 MX$31.91
30.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.14 Rpย 19.5K
$1.61 MX$27.80
-29.19%
Eggs
$2.27 Rpย 39.0K
$2.57 MX$44.49
-11.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.67 Rpย 234.2K
$8.49 MX$147
61.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.06 Rpย 69.5K
$8.49 MX$147
-52.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.47 Rpย 196.5K
$10.99 MX$190
4.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.47 Rpย 59.5K
$2.73 MX$47.23
27.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 Rpย 26.4K
$1.50 MX$25.90
2.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.67 Rpย 45.7K
$1.96 MX$33.91
36.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 Rpย 37.0K
$2.12 MX$36.68
1.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 Rpย 31.4K
$1.86 MX$32.28
-1.61%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 Rpย 37.7K
$2.17 MX$37.65
1.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rpย 17.5K
$1.07 MX$18.58
-4.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 Rpย 11.9K
$1.05 MX$18.17
-34.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.03 Rpย 51.9K
$4.19 MX$72.6
-27.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.26 Rpย 381.2K
$10.28 MX$178
116.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.62 Rpย 44.8K
$1.67 MX$28.85
56.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 Rpย 44.5K
$2.49 MX$43.09
4.42%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Jimbaran, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 Rpย 4,780
$0.54 MX$9.37
-48.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.53 Rpย 146.1K
$26.27 MX$455
-67.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rpย 8,120
$3.10 MX$53.8
-84.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rpย 7,622
$2.46 MX$42.64
-81.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.41 Rpย 109.8K
$3.24 MX$56.0
97.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rpย 14.2K
$1.26 MX$21.82
-34.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.0K Rpย 462.6M
$30.2K MX$522.5K
-10.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.3K Rpย 587.7M
$23.4K MX$406.1K
46.35%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jimbaran, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.0 Rpย 1.4M
$84.0 MX$1,455
-5.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rpย 69.5K
$22.21 MX$385
-81.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.05 Rpย 411.9K
$29.65 MX$514
-18.89%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Jimbaran, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$88.7 Rpย 1.5M
$52.6 MX$912
68.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.97 Rpย 102.2K
$18.34 MX$318
-67.45%
Cinema Ticket
$3.62 Rpย 62.1K
$4.95 MX$85.7
-26.87%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Jimbaran, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$290 Rpย 5.0M
$198 MX$3,436
45.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,319 Rpย 108.2M
$5,322 MX$92.2K
18.75%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Jimbaran, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.0 Rpย 889.7K
$35.95 MX$623
44.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.15 Rpย 636.2K
$40.06 MX$694
-7.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.0 Rpย 1.4M
$78.8 MX$1,365
5.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.4 Rpย 1.2M
$86.5 MX$1,498
-16.30%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Jimbaran, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$944 Rpย 16.2M
$977 MX$16.9K
-3.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$645 Rpย 11.0M
$471 MX$8,153
36.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,209 Rpย 55.0M
$1,595 MX$27.6K
101.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,009 Rpย 34.4M
$1,215 MX$21.0K
65.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,935 Rpย 50.3M
$4,032 MX$69.8K
-27.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,269 Rpย 38.9M
$6,579 MX$113.9K
-65.50%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Jimbaran, Bali
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$714 MX$12.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
11.42
16.29%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jimbaran, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $944 in Jimbaran, Bali and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Jimbaran, Bali vs $42 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $284 vs $252, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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
Jimbaran, Bali vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Jimbaran, Bali?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,023 in Jimbaran, Bali and $1,891 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.
What is the rent difference between Jimbaran, Bali and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $944 in Jimbaran, Bali versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $290 in Jimbaran, Bali versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Jimbaran, Bali and Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Jimbaran, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Jimbaran, Bali or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,348 in Jimbaran, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Jimbaran, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Jimbaran, Bali or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jimbaran, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Jimbaran, Bali or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Jimbaran, 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 7% less than in Jimbaran, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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