Cost of Living Comparison Between Metro, Lampung and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Metro, Lampung and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $635 per month in Metro, Lampung vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $955 per month in Metro, Lampung vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,276 per month in Metro, Lampung vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Metro, Lampung is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Metro, Lampung and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Metro, Lampung 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

$11.87 MX$204

-73.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.63 Rp 333.8K

$42.90 MX$736

-56.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.82 Rp 50.5K

$10.65 MX$183

-73.52%

Cappuccino

$2.08 Rp 37.2K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-39.71%

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

$0.51 Rp 9,112

$1.50 MX$25.81

-66.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,034

$0.95 MX$16.28

-70.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

$3.03 MX$51.9

-50.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 Rp 62.1K

$4.61 MX$79.1

-24.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$1.38 MX$23.61

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

$1.85 MX$31.70

-51.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 Rp 17.4K

$1.61 MX$27.65

-39.75%

Eggs

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

$2.59 MX$44.51

-66.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 Rp 114.4K

$8.26 MX$142

-22.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$8.37 MX$144

-69.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 Rp 138.5K

$10.66 MX$183

-27.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$2.63 MX$45.12

-38.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 Rp 20.4K

$1.49 MX$25.53

-23.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

$1.92 MX$32.94

-36.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

$2.09 MX$35.81

-50.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

$1.86 MX$31.88

-28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 Rp 25.9K

$2.26 MX$38.81

-36.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

$1.06 MX$18.23

-45.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,669

$1.09 MX$18.67

-60.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 Rp 38.8K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-47.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.99 Rp 376.1K

$10.39 MX$178

102.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

$1.72 MX$29.59

8.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 Rp 57.0K

$2.61 MX$44.85

21.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,811

$0.54 MX$9.30

-40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.04 Rp 179.9K

$26.94 MX$462

-62.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,364

$3.13 MX$53.7

-83.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,235

$2.51 MX$43.09

-86.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 Rp 56.3K

$3.15 MX$54.1

-0.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

$1.27 MX$21.88

-40.16%

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

$31.3K Rp 560.5M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

3.00%

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

$33.0K Rp 591.8M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

40.16%

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

$92.9 Rp 1.7M

$83.0 MX$1,425

11.98%

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

$6.75 Rp 121.0K

$22.71 MX$390

-70.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.22 Rp 487.7K

$29.46 MX$506

-7.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.97 Rp 411.5K

$51.0 MX$875

-54.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.28 Rp 112.5K

$18.33 MX$315

-65.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

$4.93 MX$84.5

-36.51%

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

$94.8 Rp 1.7M

$197 MX$3,386

-51.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,788 Rp 175.4M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

85.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.89 Rp 499.8K

$36.90 MX$633

-24.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.96 Rp 250.2K

$39.89 MX$685

-65.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.48 Rp 402.7K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-71.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.57 Rp 744.7K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-53.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 Rp 4.7M

$956 MX$16.4K

-72.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.8M

$477 MX$8,189

-67.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 Rp 10.7M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-63.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 Rp 6.1M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-72.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,088 Rp 19.5M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-72.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$763 Rp 13.7M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-88.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

11.42

-16.02%

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

Last update for Metro, Lampung: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in Metro, Lampung versus $956 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Metro, Lampung versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $250 – making Metro, Lampung 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

Metro, Lampung vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 100%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $953 per month in Metro, Lampung and $1,906 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 Metro, Lampung, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $94.8 per month in Metro, Lampung and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Metro, Lampung, where all-in costs run around $635, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Metro, Lampung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Metro, Lampung – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Metro, Lampung. 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.