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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,240 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,243 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,246 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kuta, Bali is about 2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kuta, Bali and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kuta, Bali 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.06 Rp 52.4K

$11.61 MX$201

-73.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.99 Rp 479.7K

$42.75 MX$740

-34.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 Rp 72.8K

$10.60 MX$184

-59.91%

Cappuccino

$2.36 Rp 40.4K

$3.59 MX$62.2

-34.26%

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

$1.22 Rp 21.0K

$1.45 MX$25.15

-15.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 Rp 11.1K

$0.90 MX$15.55

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 Rp 45.5K

$3.03 MX$52.5

-12.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 Rp 59.6K

$4.56 MX$79.0

-23.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 Rp 28.3K

$1.45 MX$25.14

13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 Rp 39.6K

$1.83 MX$31.64

26.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 18.7K

$1.61 MX$27.85

-32.30%

Eggs

$2.36 Rp 40.4K

$2.54 MX$43.95

-7.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 Rp 242.7K

$8.54 MX$148

65.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 Rp 67.7K

$8.47 MX$147

-53.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 Rp 194.3K

$10.86 MX$188

4.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 60.5K

$2.73 MX$47.26

29.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 26.1K

$1.49 MX$25.85

2.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.0K

$1.94 MX$33.65

38.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 36.8K

$2.16 MX$37.49

-0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 31.3K

$1.85 MX$31.97

-1.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 Rp 37.0K

$2.19 MX$37.91

-1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.6K

$1.07 MX$18.58

-3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 11.8K

$1.08 MX$18.76

-36.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 51.8K

$4.06 MX$70.3

-25.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.17 Rp 379.9K

$10.46 MX$181

111.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.0K

$1.65 MX$28.64

66.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 Rp 46.5K

$2.55 MX$44.13

6.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,517

$0.56 MX$9.63

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.00 Rp 154.2K

$26.20 MX$454

-65.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,198

$3.14 MX$54.4

-82.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 Rp 8,493

$2.37 MX$41.08

-78.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 Rp 116.2K

$3.24 MX$56.1

109.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 Rp 16.1K

$1.31 MX$22.76

-28.24%

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

$29.1K Rp 499.4M

$30.5K MX$528.9K

-4.57%

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

$35.8K Rp 613.1M

$23.8K MX$412.6K

50.19%

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

$81.0 Rp 1.4M

$83.1 MX$1,440

-2.59%

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

$3.96 Rp 67.9K

$22.15 MX$384

-82.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.50 Rp 402.7K

$29.37 MX$509

-19.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.4 Rp 1.4M

$51.2 MX$887

64.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.57 Rp 95.5K

$18.69 MX$324

-70.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 Rp 62.5K

$4.89 MX$84.7

-25.36%

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

$277 Rp 4.7M

$199 MX$3,441

39.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,904 Rp 101.2M

$5,207 MX$90.2K

13.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 Rp 918.1K

$35.93 MX$622

49.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.01 Rp 668.5K

$39.39 MX$682

-0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 Rp 1.5M

$80.3 MX$1,391

7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$87.6 MX$1,517

-9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 Rp 14.2M

$963 MX$16.7K

-14.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 Rp 9.6M

$482 MX$8,350

16.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 Rp 47.9M

$1,645 MX$28.5K

70.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 29.3M

$1,192 MX$20.6K

43.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,445 Rp 41.9M

$3,957 MX$68.5K

-38.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 Rp 33.9M

$6,513 MX$112.8K

-69.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.42

16.29%

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

Last update for Kuta, Bali: April 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $828 in Kuta, Bali 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 $28 in Kuta, Bali versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Kuta, Bali vs $253 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kuta, Bali vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Kuta, Bali, 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 $1,860 per month in Kuta, Bali and $1,894 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 Kuta, Bali, 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 $28.00 in Kuta, Bali 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 $1,240 in Kuta, Bali and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kuta, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,240, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. In Kuta, Bali 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. Kuta, Bali costs $1,240 versus $1,262 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 Kuta, Bali. 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.