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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $631 per month in Kalimantan vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,016 per month in Kalimantan vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,401 per month in Kalimantan vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kalimantan is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kalimantan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kalimantan 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$11.60 MX$200

-85.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.18 Rp 215.7K

$47.11 MX$812

-74.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.89 Rp 51.1K

$11.88 MX$205

-75.67%

Cappuccino

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

$3.98 MX$68.6

-62.31%

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

$0.43 Rp 7,699

$1.43 MX$24.60

-69.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,116

$0.82 MX$14.22

-71.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 Rp 41.2K

$3.19 MX$55.0

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Rp 63.3K

$6.79 MX$117

-47.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 Rp 18.0K

$1.68 MX$28.89

-39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$2.20 MX$37.88

-54.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

$1.71 MX$29.45

-56.14%

Eggs

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$2.74 MX$47.26

-43.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 Rp 138.3K

$9.58 MX$165

-18.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.6K

$9.01 MX$155

-65.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 Rp 132.6K

$12.81 MX$221

-41.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.4K

$2.89 MX$49.81

-30.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

$1.50 MX$25.81

-23.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 31.7K

$2.15 MX$37.03

-16.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

$2.26 MX$38.96

-43.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.3K

$1.98 MX$34.15

-38.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$1.99 MX$34.30

2.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$1.23 MX$21.28

-34.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,074

$1.20 MX$20.63

-61.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 Rp 45.8K

$4.55 MX$78.5

-43.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.70 Rp 348.7K

$10.37 MX$179

89.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 Rp 31.5K

$1.62 MX$27.91

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$2.88 MX$49.67

-6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,710

$0.60 MX$10.35

-55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,715

$5.39 MX$92.9

-91.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 Rp 6,450

$3.73 MX$64.3

-90.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 Rp 46.5K

$5.77 MX$99.5

-54.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

$1.54 MX$26.48

-42.21%

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

$24.0K Rp 424.9M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

6.41%

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

$29.4K Rp 521.2M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

12.97%

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

$66.1 Rp 1.2M

$91.4 MX$1,576

-27.68%

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

$4.48 Rp 79.3K

$25.20 MX$435

-82.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.81 Rp 368.5K

$31.24 MX$539

-33.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.66 Rp 312.6K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-73.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.99 Rp 159.2K

$29.11 MX$502

-69.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.19 Rp 56.4K

$4.86 MX$83.8

-34.36%

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

$86.6 Rp 1.5M

$224 MX$3,856

-61.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,005 Rp 159.4M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

112.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.69 Rp 667.3K

$47.10 MX$812

-19.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.52 Rp 558.1K

$44.29 MX$764

-28.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 Rp 1.2M

$80.1 MX$1,381

-17.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

$92.7 MX$1,598

-27.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 Rp 4.2M

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-77.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 Rp 2.6M

$390 MX$6,728

-61.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 Rp 11.2M

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-70.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 Rp 6.9M

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-69.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,041 Rp 18.4M

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-73.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$771 Rp 13.6M

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-88.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

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 Kalimantan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Kalimantan versus $1,063 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Kalimantan versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $276 – making Kalimantan 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 101%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $946 per month in Kalimantan and $1,899 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 Kalimantan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Kalimantan and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kalimantan, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Kalimantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kalimantan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Kalimantan. 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.