🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $577 in Mataram versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $888 in Mataram versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,200 in Mataram versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Living in Mataram costs roughly 55% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Mataram57% lower, Playa del Carmen4% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Mataram
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.05Rp 18.2K
$11.94MX$208
-91.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.02Rp 190.2K
$42.75MX$744
-74.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.25Rp 38.8K
$10.59MX$184
-78.75%
Cappuccino
$1.87Rp 32.3K
$3.62MX$63.0
-48.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55Rp 9,492
$1.47MX$25.54
-62.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36Rp 6,219
$0.94MX$16.41
-61.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.63Rp 45.4K
$3.09MX$53.8
-14.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78Rp 65.3K
$4.46MX$77.6
-15.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mataram
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56Rp 26.9K
$1.43MX$24.80
9.09%
White Bread(500g)
$1.68Rp 29.0K
$1.88MX$32.79
-10.64%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.83Rp 14.3K
$1.63MX$28.34
-49.08%
Eggs
$1.36Rp 23.5K
$2.64MX$45.99
-48.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.32Rp 57.3K
$8.21MX$143
-59.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.53Rp 60.9K
$8.29MX$144
-57.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.29Rp 108.7K
$11.10MX$193
-43.33%
Apples(1kg)
$1.70Rp 29.4K
$2.65MX$46.14
-35.85%
Banana(1kg)
$1.21Rp 20.9K
$1.50MX$26.11
-19.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.86Rp 32.2K
$1.99MX$34.59
-6.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.79Rp 13.6K
$2.08MX$36.13
-62.02%
Potato(1kg)
$0.79Rp 13.7K
$1.79MX$31.11
-55.87%
Onion(1kg)
$1.89Rp 32.6K
$2.18MX$37.87
-13.30%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.47Rp 8,149
$1.08MX$18.73
-56.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31Rp 5,422
$1.04MX$18.04
-70.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.79Rp 31.0K
$3.97MX$69.1
-54.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.27Rp 281.0K
$10.20MX$178
59.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46Rp 42.4K
$1.73MX$30.04
42.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80Rp 65.6K
$2.50MX$43.46
52.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Mataram
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.63Rp 10.9K
$0.52MX$9.02
21.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.37Rp 317.2K
$26.97MX$469
-31.89%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.48Rp 8,253
$3.14MX$54.7
-84.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29Rp 5,005
$2.40MX$41.80
-87.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.16Rp 54.5K
$3.09MX$53.7
2.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.65Rp 11.2K
$1.27MX$22.16
-48.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.4KRp 404.3M
$30.9KMX$537.3K
-24.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0KRp 483.4M
$23.3KMX$405.7K
20.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mataram
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$50.2Rp 866.7K
$82.0MX$1,427
-38.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.39Rp 75.9K
$22.45MX$391
-80.45%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.07Rp 329.3K
$29.66MX$516
-35.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mataram
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$26.67Rp 460.5K
$51.9MX$903
-48.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.66Rp 132.2K
$18.67MX$325
-58.97%
Cinema Ticket
$2.10Rp 36.2K
$4.97MX$86.5
-57.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mataram
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$90.8Rp 1.6M
$198MX$3,442
-54.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,319Rp 74.6M
$5,273MX$91.7K
-18.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mataram
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.80Rp 635.4K
$36.34MX$632
1.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.84Rp 428.9K
$40.05MX$697
-37.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$61.1Rp 1.1M
$79.9MX$1,390
-23.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.16Rp 693.5K
$88.9MX$1,547
-54.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mataram
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$76.9Rp 1.3M
$963MX$16.8K
-92.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$128Rp 2.2M
$465MX$8,086
-72.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$156Rp 2.7M
$1,596MX$27.8K
-90.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$265Rp 4.6M
$1,209MX$21.0K
-78.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,199Rp 20.7M
$3,942MX$68.6K
-69.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$783Rp 13.5M
$6,448MX$112.2K
-87.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mataram
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$202Rp 3.5M
$720MX$12.5K
-71.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9
11.42
-21.19%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Mataram: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.9 in Mataram and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Playa del Carmen pays 256% 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: $11.00 in Mataram vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $251 per month, with Mataram cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Mataram vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Mataram and Playa del Carmen?
Mataram and Playa del Carmen differ by about 123% in total monthly costs ($577 vs $1,287 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 256% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Mataram and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $76.9 in Mataram versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Mataram – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $577 in Mataram versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mataram but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mataram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mataram and Playa del Carmen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Mataram or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mataram vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado