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: $578 in Mataram versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $867 in Mataram versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,157 in Mataram versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mataram costs roughly 54% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mataram 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$11.87 MX$204

-91.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.01 Rp 197.3K

$42.90 MX$736

-74.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

$10.65 MX$183

-77.93%

Cappuccino

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-45.80%

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

$0.54 Rp 9,705

$1.50 MX$25.81

-64.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,486

$0.95 MX$16.28

-62.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 Rp 45.4K

$3.03 MX$51.9

-16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Rp 67.5K

$4.61 MX$79.1

-18.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

$1.38 MX$23.61

11.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

$1.85 MX$31.70

-9.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.61 MX$27.65

-48.45%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.5K

$2.59 MX$44.51

-44.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.19 Rp 57.2K

$8.26 MX$142

-61.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 Rp 64.2K

$8.37 MX$144

-57.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$10.66 MX$183

-42.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 29.4K

$2.63 MX$45.12

-37.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.7K

$1.49 MX$25.53

-15.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.2K

$1.92 MX$32.94

-3.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$2.09 MX$35.81

-64.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 15.0K

$1.86 MX$31.88

-54.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

$2.26 MX$38.81

-16.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 Rp 8,621

$1.06 MX$18.23

-54.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 Rp 6,097

$1.09 MX$18.67

-68.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-56.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 Rp 272.9K

$10.39 MX$178

46.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.8K

$1.72 MX$29.59

38.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 Rp 68.1K

$2.61 MX$44.85

45.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

$0.54 MX$9.30

18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.26 Rp 327.2K

$26.94 MX$462

-32.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,057

$3.13 MX$53.7

-83.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,136

$2.51 MX$43.09

-88.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

$3.15 MX$54.1

-5.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$1.27 MX$21.88

-49.61%

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

$23.2K Rp 415.3M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-23.68%

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

$27.1K Rp 486.3M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

15.18%

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

$50.4 Rp 902.3K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-39.33%

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

$4.25 Rp 76.2K

$22.71 MX$390

-81.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.16 Rp 343.3K

$29.46 MX$506

-34.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.28 Rp 470.9K

$51.0 MX$875

-48.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.75 Rp 138.9K

$18.33 MX$315

-57.72%

Cinema Ticket

$2.19 Rp 39.2K

$4.93 MX$84.5

-55.58%

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

$90.9 Rp 1.6M

$197 MX$3,386

-53.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,244 Rp 76.0M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-19.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.49 Rp 671.7K

$36.90 MX$633

1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.39 Rp 437.0K

$39.89 MX$685

-38.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

$80.0 MX$1,373

-23.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.32 Rp 722.3K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-54.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$77.1 Rp 1.4M

$956 MX$16.4K

-91.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 Rp 2.3M

$477 MX$8,189

-73.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-90.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-79.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,135 Rp 20.3M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-71.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$700 Rp 12.5M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-89.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$197 Rp 3.5M

$667 MX$11.4K

-70.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-21.19%

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

Last update for Mataram: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $77.1 in Mataram and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 239% 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 $176 vs $250 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 120% in total monthly costs ($578 vs $1,271 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 239% less. 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: $77.1 in Mataram versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

At $578 in Mataram versus $1,271 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 120% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.