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 $1,246 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,231 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,217 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kuta, Bali is about 4% 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 7% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 Rp 56.9K

$11.73 MX$205

-73.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.76 Rp 518.7K

$41.62 MX$727

-30.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.46 Rp 80.4K

$10.64 MX$186

-58.08%

Cappuccino

$2.40 Rp 43.3K

$3.52 MX$61.4

-31.82%

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

$1.20 Rp 21.7K

$1.51 MX$26.37

-20.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

$0.97 MX$17.00

-32.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 Rp 46.2K

$2.95 MX$51.5

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 Rp 60.3K

$4.45 MX$77.8

-24.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

$1.38 MX$24.16

20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 Rp 42.5K

$1.89 MX$33.03

24.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

$1.64 MX$28.59

-29.88%

Eggs

$2.26 Rp 40.8K

$2.51 MX$43.76

-9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 Rp 252.9K

$8.34 MX$146

68.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 72.7K

$8.34 MX$146

-51.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 Rp 203.6K

$10.73 MX$187

5.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 Rp 63.3K

$2.60 MX$45.47

35.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.9K

$1.46 MX$25.45

5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 Rp 47.7K

$1.90 MX$33.19

38.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$2.08 MX$36.26

7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.8K

$1.78 MX$31.01

2.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 Rp 37.7K

$2.19 MX$38.16

-4.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.5K

$1.04 MX$18.16

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$1.08 MX$18.80

-31.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 Rp 55.9K

$4.08 MX$71.3

-24.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.84 Rp 411.8K

$10.32 MX$180

121.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 Rp 48.3K

$1.71 MX$29.90

56.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

$2.58 MX$44.97

1.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,774

$0.51 MX$8.90

-37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.11 Rp 164.4K

$26.46 MX$462

-65.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,741

$3.26 MX$57.0

-83.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 Rp 8,895

$2.49 MX$43.50

-80.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 Rp 125.2K

$3.25 MX$56.7

113.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

$1.31 MX$22.83

-32.06%

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

$29.1K Rp 524.4M

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-3.98%

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

$35.4K Rp 639.0M

$23.4K MX$409.2K

51.22%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$82.9 MX$1,447

-3.58%

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

$3.94 Rp 71.0K

$22.22 MX$388

-82.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.19 Rp 436.2K

$29.34 MX$512

-17.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 Rp 1.6M

$51.6 MX$902

67.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.74 Rp 103.5K

$18.32 MX$320

-68.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 Rp 63.0K

$5.07 MX$88.5

-31.16%

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

$276 Rp 5.0M

$201 MX$3,507

37.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,031 Rp 108.8M

$5,212 MX$91.0K

15.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 Rp 988.5K

$36.92 MX$645

48.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.07 Rp 686.6K

$39.79 MX$695

-4.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 Rp 1.6M

$78.5 MX$1,370

13.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 Rp 1.4M

$87.1 MX$1,521

-12.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 Rp 14.6M

$973 MX$17.0K

-16.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 Rp 10.0M

$468 MX$8,168

18.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,758 Rp 49.7M

$1,641 MX$28.7K

68.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.8M

$1,221 MX$21.3K

40.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,285 Rp 41.2M

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-42.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,870 Rp 33.7M

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-71.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Kuta, Bali versus $973 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 $29.00 in Kuta, Bali versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Kuta, Bali vs $249 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 4% 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 $1,868 per month in Kuta, Bali and $1,945 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 $29.00 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 $1,246 in Kuta, Bali and $1,297 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 $1,246, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $1,246 versus $1,297 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.