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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $626 in Mataram versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $978 in Mataram versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,330 in Mataram versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mataram costs roughly 52% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mataram 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.03 Rp 18.1K

$11.96 MX$203

-91.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.16 Rp 161.3K

$47.38 MX$804

-80.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 57.7K

$11.75 MX$199

-72.09%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.5K

$4.12 MX$70.0

-63.35%

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

$0.45 Rp 7,983

$1.40 MX$23.74

-67.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$0.91 MX$15.48

-63.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 47.6K

$3.21 MX$54.4

-15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 Rp 60.4K

$7.07 MX$120

-51.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 Rp 23.9K

$1.68 MX$28.44

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 Rp 26.6K

$2.15 MX$36.48

-29.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.3K

$1.77 MX$30.10

-50.85%

Eggs

$1.48 Rp 26.1K

$2.82 MX$47.76

-47.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 Rp 132.4K

$9.20 MX$156

-18.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.91 Rp 51.3K

$9.23 MX$157

-68.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 133.8K

$12.64 MX$214

-39.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

$2.95 MX$50.1

-24.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.4K

$1.58 MX$26.79

-18.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$2.22 MX$37.70

-21.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 21.6K

$2.36 MX$40.09

-47.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.2K

$1.99 MX$33.81

-33.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 35.3K

$1.98 MX$33.58

1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 12.8K

$1.24 MX$21.04

-41.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,177

$1.21 MX$20.55

-66.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 Rp 48.9K

$4.60 MX$78.1

-39.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.79 Rp 366.0K

$10.52 MX$178

97.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 Rp 32.7K

$1.69 MX$28.70

10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 Rp 53.1K

$2.77 MX$47.06

9.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,173

$0.60 MX$10.22

-51.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,777

$5.24 MX$88.8

-90.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,807

$3.65 MX$61.9

-90.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 Rp 50.6K

$5.78 MX$98.1

-50.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$1.54 MX$26.09

-62.34%

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

$22.9K Rp 402.3M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

0.22%

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

$30.9K Rp 544.2M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

19.76%

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

$68.9 Rp 1.2M

$90.7 MX$1,538

-23.99%

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

$4.02 Rp 70.8K

$25.19 MX$427

-84.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.52 Rp 343.7K

$31.75 MX$539

-38.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.37 Rp 358.7K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-70.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.63 Rp 151.9K

$29.37 MX$498

-70.62%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

$4.86 MX$82.5

-42.59%

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

$94.1 Rp 1.7M

$226 MX$3,828

-58.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,667 Rp 135.0M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

82.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.72 Rp 787.3K

$47.38 MX$804

-5.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.49 Rp 519.3K

$43.45 MX$737

-32.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

$80.2 MX$1,361

-7.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$91.4 MX$1,550

-20.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 Rp 4.0M

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-79.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 Rp 2.4M

$409 MX$6,933

-66.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 Rp 9.9M

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-71.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 Rp 6.5M

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-71.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,194 Rp 21.0M

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-70.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$662 Rp 11.6M

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-90.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$227 Rp 4.0M

$773 MX$13.1K

-70.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

11.45

-17.38%

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

Last update for Mataram: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $227 in Mataram and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 240% 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 Mataram vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $278 per month, with Mataram 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

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

Mataram and Playa del Carmen differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($626 vs $1,305 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 240% 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: $227 in Mataram versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $626 per month in Mataram versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $626 in Mataram versus $1,305 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.

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.

Expats usually find Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.