Cost of Living Comparison Between Magelang and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Magelang and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $540 per month in Magelang vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $856 per month in Magelang vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,172 per month in Magelang vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Magelang is about 59% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Magelang and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Magelang 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.44 Rp 25.4K

$11.96 MX$202

-87.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.73 Rp 153.8K

$47.38 MX$801

-81.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

$11.75 MX$199

-77.11%

Cappuccino

$0.77 Rp 13.5K

$4.12 MX$69.7

-81.31%

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

$0.33 Rp 5,739

$1.40 MX$23.66

-76.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 Rp 3,181

$0.91 MX$15.43

-80.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 Rp 23.7K

$3.21 MX$54.2

-57.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 48.9K

$7.07 MX$120

-60.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 Rp 18.6K

$1.68 MX$28.35

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$2.15 MX$36.36

-48.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$1.77 MX$30.00

-54.24%

Eggs

$1.21 Rp 21.3K

$2.82 MX$47.60

-57.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.86 Rp 120.8K

$9.20 MX$156

-25.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 42.7K

$9.23 MX$156

-73.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.90 Rp 121.5K

$12.64 MX$214

-45.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 Rp 37.0K

$2.95 MX$49.90

-28.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

$1.58 MX$26.70

-24.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.5K

$2.22 MX$37.58

-42.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

$2.36 MX$39.96

-62.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 Rp 18.0K

$1.99 MX$33.70

-48.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 24.5K

$1.98 MX$33.47

-29.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

$1.24 MX$20.97

-39.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,394

$1.21 MX$20.48

-70.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 Rp 35.9K

$4.60 MX$77.8

-55.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.88 Rp 297.2K

$10.52 MX$178

60.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 Rp 27.6K

$1.69 MX$28.60

-7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 Rp 38.4K

$2.77 MX$46.91

-21.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,155

$0.60 MX$10.19

-51.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 147.4K

$29.70 MX$502

-71.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,561

$5.24 MX$88.5

-91.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,183

$3.65 MX$61.7

-90.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 Rp 39.2K

$5.78 MX$97.8

-61.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 Rp 12.4K

$1.54 MX$26.01

-53.90%

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

$25.7K Rp 452.9M

$22.8K MX$385.5K

12.77%

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

$29.4K Rp 518.6M

$25.8K MX$436.5K

14.06%

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

$46.35 Rp 816.3K

$90.7 MX$1,533

-48.88%

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

$3.94 Rp 69.3K

$25.19 MX$426

-84.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.82 Rp 349.1K

$31.75 MX$537

-37.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.96 Rp 245.9K

$68.8 MX$1,163

-79.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.66 Rp 64.4K

$29.37 MX$497

-87.54%

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 Rp 45.5K

$4.86 MX$82.2

-46.91%

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

$45.84 Rp 807.3K

$226 MX$3,816

-79.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,894 Rp 68.6M

$4,194 MX$70.9K

-7.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.07 Rp 353.4K

$47.38 MX$801

-57.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.83 Rp 349.3K

$43.45 MX$735

-54.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.5 Rp 1.0M

$80.2 MX$1,356

-27.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 Rp 938.8K

$91.4 MX$1,545

-41.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 Rp 4.0M

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-79.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.8M

$409 MX$6,910

-61.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 Rp 9.9M

$1,972 MX$33.3K

-71.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 Rp 6.4M

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-71.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,184 Rp 20.9M

$4,046 MX$68.4K

-70.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$662 Rp 11.7M

$6,704 MX$113.4K

-90.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 Rp 3.2M

$773 MX$13.1K

-76.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

11.45

-34.50%

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

Last update for Magelang: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $226 in Magelang versus $1,086 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.

Salaries run about 329% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Magelang versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $278 – making Magelang 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

Magelang vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $540 in Magelang, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 142% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $810 per month in Magelang and $1,958 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 Magelang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Magelang and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Magelang, where all-in costs run around $540, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Magelang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $540 in Magelang to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Magelang. 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.