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 $676 per month in Kalimantan vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,026 per month in Kalimantan vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,376 per month in Kalimantan vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kalimantan is about 47% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kalimantan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kalimantan 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 26.9K

$11.94 MX$208

-86.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.16 Rp 210.0K

$42.75 MX$744

-71.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.34 Rp 57.6K

$10.59 MX$184

-68.46%

Cappuccino

$1.64 Rp 28.4K

$3.62 MX$63.0

-54.70%

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

$0.51 Rp 8,746

$1.47 MX$25.54

-65.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,474

$0.94 MX$16.41

-72.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 Rp 43.7K

$3.09 MX$53.8

-18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 Rp 60.6K

$4.46 MX$77.6

-21.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.1K

$1.43 MX$24.80

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.1K

$1.88 MX$32.79

-37.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.4K

$1.63 MX$28.34

-45.40%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 26.2K

$2.64 MX$45.99

-42.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 142.2K

$8.21 MX$143

0.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 53.4K

$8.29 MX$144

-62.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.03 Rp 138.7K

$11.10 MX$193

-27.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.3K

$2.65 MX$46.14

-12.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 25.1K

$1.50 MX$26.11

-2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 32.4K

$1.99 MX$34.59

-5.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 26.7K

$2.08 MX$36.13

-25.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 23.8K

$1.79 MX$31.11

-22.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

$2.18 MX$37.87

-12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

$1.08 MX$18.73

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,771

$1.04 MX$18.04

-56.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 42.8K

$3.97 MX$69.1

-37.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.75 Rp 375.6K

$10.20 MX$178

113.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 Rp 34.9K

$1.73 MX$30.04

16.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 Rp 55.3K

$2.50 MX$43.46

28.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,156

$0.52 MX$9.02

-42.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.93 Rp 171.4K

$26.97 MX$469

-63.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 9,782

$3.14 MX$54.7

-81.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,405

$2.40 MX$41.80

-84.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

$3.09 MX$53.7

-3.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.1K

$1.27 MX$22.16

-36.22%

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

$24.5K Rp 423.7M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-20.54%

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

$27.3K Rp 471.3M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

17.06%

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

$70.2 Rp 1.2M

$82.0 MX$1,427

-14.35%

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

$4.42 Rp 76.4K

$22.45 MX$391

-80.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.08 Rp 398.5K

$29.66 MX$516

-22.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.19 Rp 400.4K

$51.9 MX$903

-55.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.22 Rp 107.5K

$18.67 MX$325

-66.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 Rp 53.5K

$4.97 MX$86.5

-37.63%

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

$92.8 Rp 1.6M

$198 MX$3,442

-53.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,465 Rp 128.9M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

41.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.99 Rp 725.0K

$36.34 MX$632

15.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.41 Rp 525.0K

$40.05 MX$697

-24.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 Rp 1.1M

$79.9 MX$1,390

-17.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 Rp 1.3M

$88.9 MX$1,547

-16.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 Rp 4.5M

$963 MX$16.8K

-73.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 Rp 2.8M

$465 MX$8,086

-65.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 Rp 10.1M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-63.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 Rp 5.7M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-72.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,301 Rp 22.5M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-66.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$866 Rp 14.9M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-86.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Kalimantan: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Kalimantan versus $963 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $251 – 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 90%, 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 $1,014 per month in Kalimantan and $1,930 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $676 in Kalimantan and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kalimantan, where all-in costs run around $676, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.