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 $1,273 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,260 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kuta, Bali costs about 1% more 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 5% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 Rp 53.8K

$11.95 MX$208

-74.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.81 Rp 497.8K

$41.94 MX$730

-33.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 Rp 80.0K

$10.42 MX$181

-57.10%

Cappuccino

$2.49 Rp 44.6K

$3.51 MX$61.2

-29.06%

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

$1.21 Rp 21.7K

$1.52 MX$26.39

-20.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 Rp 10.9K

$0.91 MX$15.85

-32.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 Rp 45.4K

$3.04 MX$52.9

-16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 Rp 60.2K

$4.37 MX$76.1

-23.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 Rp 29.8K

$1.42 MX$24.73

16.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

$1.83 MX$31.87

31.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.63 MX$28.45

-29.45%

Eggs

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

$2.54 MX$44.20

-11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 Rp 251.7K

$8.57 MX$149

64.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 Rp 71.8K

$8.49 MX$148

-52.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.48 Rp 205.5K

$10.80 MX$188

6.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 Rp 62.7K

$2.75 MX$47.95

27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.44 MX$25.00

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 Rp 47.9K

$1.89 MX$32.84

41.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 38.4K

$2.17 MX$37.77

-0.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.9K

$1.78 MX$30.97

3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

$2.22 MX$38.71

-1.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$1.07 MX$18.60

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.08 MX$18.79

-35.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 Rp 54.6K

$4.15 MX$72.2

-26.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.21 Rp 397.7K

$10.45 MX$182

112.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 47.4K

$1.74 MX$30.34

52.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 49.0K

$2.58 MX$44.93

6.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,275

$0.51 MX$8.94

-43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.05 Rp 162.0K

$25.94 MX$452

-65.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,128

$3.21 MX$55.9

-84.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 Rp 8,862

$2.50 MX$43.55

-80.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 Rp 119.7K

$3.19 MX$55.4

109.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 Rp 16.6K

$1.26 MX$21.87

-26.19%

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

$29.2K Rp 522.3M

$29.7K MX$516.7K

-1.75%

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

$35.8K Rp 641.1M

$23.7K MX$412.2K

51.19%

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

$80.2 Rp 1.4M

$82.0 MX$1,428

-2.28%

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

$4.10 Rp 73.5K

$22.73 MX$396

-81.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.13 Rp 432.0K

$29.42 MX$512

-17.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.0 Rp 1.5M

$52.2 MX$908

60.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 Rp 104.5K

$18.45 MX$321

-68.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 Rp 62.3K

$4.93 MX$85.9

-29.41%

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

$272 Rp 4.9M

$202 MX$3,512

34.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,018 Rp 107.7M

$5,217 MX$90.8K

15.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 Rp 981.2K

$35.93 MX$625

52.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.83 Rp 677.2K

$40.33 MX$702

-6.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.6M

$79.9 MX$1,390

12.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 Rp 1.4M

$89.3 MX$1,554

-12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 Rp 15.0M

$948 MX$16.5K

-11.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 Rp 10.0M

$465 MX$8,098

19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,756 Rp 49.3M

$1,630 MX$28.4K

69.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 Rp 31.1M

$1,193 MX$20.8K

45.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,254 Rp 40.4M

$3,933 MX$68.5K

-42.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,858 Rp 33.3M

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-71.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $838 in Kuta, Bali versus $948 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 $28.00 in Kuta, Bali versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Kuta, Bali vs $252 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

Kuta, Bali costs about 1% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,909 per month in Kuta, Bali and $1,888 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 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 $1,273 in Kuta, Bali and $1,259 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,259, than in Kuta, Bali at $1,273. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuta, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,259 versus $1,273 in Kuta, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuta, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.