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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $735 per month in Kuta, Lombok vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,309 per month in Kuta, Lombok vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,884 per month in Kuta, Lombok vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kuta, Lombok is about 43% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kuta, Lombok and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kuta, Lombok 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.71 Rp 29.6K

$11.94 MX$209

-85.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.02 Rp 277.7K

$42.75 MX$748

-62.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.43 Rp 42.1K

$10.59 MX$185

-77.05%

Cappuccino

$1.41 Rp 24.4K

$3.62 MX$63.4

-61.05%

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

$0.67 Rp 11.6K

$1.47 MX$25.69

-54.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,426

$0.94 MX$16.51

-60.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 Rp 24.9K

$3.09 MX$54.1

-53.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 Rp 34.6K

$4.46 MX$78.0

-55.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 Rp 20.0K

$1.43 MX$24.94

-18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 Rp 29.2K

$1.88 MX$32.97

-10.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$1.63 MX$28.50

-52.76%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 27.4K

$2.64 MX$46.26

-40.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 Rp 168.0K

$8.21 MX$144

18.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 48.8K

$8.29 MX$145

-65.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.79 Rp 135.0K

$11.10 MX$194

-29.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 Rp 42.5K

$2.65 MX$46.40

-7.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 Rp 18.0K

$1.50 MX$26.26

-30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 31.7K

$1.99 MX$34.79

-8.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

$2.08 MX$36.33

-27.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

$1.79 MX$31.29

-25.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 26.4K

$2.18 MX$38.09

-30.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 Rp 11.7K

$1.08 MX$18.84

-37.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Rp 8,355

$1.04 MX$18.15

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 Rp 37.0K

$3.97 MX$69.5

-46.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 Rp 272.9K

$10.20 MX$179

54.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 31.9K

$1.73 MX$30.22

6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.1K

$2.50 MX$43.71

-26.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 Rp 3,462

$0.52 MX$9.07

-61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.51 Rp 95.5K

$26.97 MX$472

-79.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 Rp 5,570

$3.14 MX$55.0

-89.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 Rp 4,839

$2.40 MX$42.04

-88.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 Rp 68.6K

$3.09 MX$54.0

28.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 Rp 9,793

$1.27 MX$22.28

-55.12%

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

$17.3K Rp 299.8M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-43.98%

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

$20.8K Rp 361.0M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-10.66%

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

$59.0 Rp 1.0M

$82.0 MX$1,435

-28.09%

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

$2.97 Rp 51.5K

$22.45 MX$393

-86.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.18 Rp 315.1K

$29.66 MX$519

-38.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 Rp 928.2K

$51.9 MX$908

3.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.41 Rp 59.2K

$18.67 MX$327

-81.74%

Cinema Ticket

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$4.97 MX$87.0

-55.94%

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

$187 Rp 3.2M

$198 MX$3,462

-5.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,210 Rp 73.0M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-20.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.46 Rp 718.7K

$36.34 MX$636

14.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 Rp 511.7K

$40.05 MX$701

-26.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 Rp 1.2M

$79.9 MX$1,398

-15.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.5 Rp 1.0M

$88.9 MX$1,555

-33.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 Rp 6.8M

$963 MX$16.9K

-59.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 Rp 4.5M

$465 MX$8,133

-43.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 Rp 23.4M

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-15.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 Rp 14.2M

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-32.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,173 Rp 20.3M

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-70.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$932 Rp 16.2M

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-85.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 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, Lombok: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Kuta, Lombok 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 $16.00 in Kuta, Lombok versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $251 – making Kuta, Lombok 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 75% more than Kuta, Lombok, 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 $1,103 per month in Kuta, Lombok 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 Kuta, Lombok, 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 $16.00 in Kuta, Lombok 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 $735 in Kuta, Lombok and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kuta, Lombok, where all-in costs run around $735, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Kuta, Lombok 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, Lombok costs $735 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kuta, Lombok. 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.