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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $665 in Makassar versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,003 in Makassar versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,341 in Makassar versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Makassar costs roughly 47% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makassar 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 Rp 54.2K

$11.99 MX$210

-74.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.36 Rp 167.5K

$41.78 MX$731

-77.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$10.75 MX$188

-72.09%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$3.50 MX$61.1

-48.57%

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

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

$1.45 MX$25.33

-55.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,117

$0.88 MX$15.47

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 Rp 64.6K

$2.95 MX$51.6

22.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 Rp 64.9K

$4.51 MX$78.9

-19.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.43 MX$25.04

13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$1.84 MX$32.13

-41.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

$1.57 MX$27.42

-59.24%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.6K

$2.51 MX$43.92

-43.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.37 Rp 96.1K

$8.28 MX$145

-35.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$8.43 MX$147

-66.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.26 Rp 76.2K

$10.68 MX$187

-60.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.0K

$2.61 MX$45.62

-14.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.4K

$1.44 MX$25.15

10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.7K

$1.96 MX$34.31

-6.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.0K

$2.09 MX$36.62

-24.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.4K

$1.85 MX$32.37

-32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$2.17 MX$37.90

-28.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 7,975

$1.03 MX$18.04

-56.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,444

$1.07 MX$18.78

-56.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$4.10 MX$71.7

-38.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.33 Rp 399.5K

$10.17 MX$178

119.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 Rp 36.1K

$1.68 MX$29.29

20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 Rp 43.4K

$2.53 MX$44.17

-3.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,280

$0.51 MX$8.90

-41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.56 Rp 81.7K

$26.04 MX$455

-82.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$3.23 MX$56.5

-82.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,112

$2.41 MX$42.06

-87.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

$3.23 MX$56.5

-3.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.32 MX$23.10

-40.91%

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

$16.7K Rp 298.9M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-43.74%

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

$18.4K Rp 330.0M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-22.05%

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

$66.8 Rp 1.2M

$82.0 MX$1,434

-18.52%

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

$3.59 Rp 64.2K

$22.95 MX$401

-84.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.49 Rp 581.2K

$30.11 MX$527

7.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.23 Rp 415.6K

$52.0 MX$909

-55.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 Rp 109.0K

$18.53 MX$324

-67.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

$4.98 MX$87.0

-36.75%

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

$106 Rp 1.9M

$197 MX$3,452

-46.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,103 Rp 73.4M

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-23.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 Rp 521.3K

$35.60 MX$622

-18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.17 Rp 450.3K

$40.33 MX$705

-37.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

$78.8 MX$1,377

5.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.19 Rp 772.7K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-51.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$947 MX$16.6K

-77.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$474 MX$8,288

-64.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 Rp 7.6M

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-74.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 Rp 6.1M

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-72.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,355 Rp 24.2M

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-66.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 Rp 9.8M

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-91.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 Rp 3.7M

$654 MX$11.4K

-68.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-47.46%

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

Last update for Makassar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Makassar and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 213% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $9.00 in Makassar vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $249 per month, with Makassar cheaper across the board.

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

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

Makassar wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makassar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 213% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $214 in Makassar versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Makassar runs roughly 471% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $106 in Makassar versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $665 in Makassar versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makassar but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Makassar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makassar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $665 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makassar hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.