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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $659 per month in Palangkaraya vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,010 per month in Palangkaraya vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,360 per month in Palangkaraya vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Palangkaraya is about 48% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Palangkaraya and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Palangkaraya 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

$11.72 MX$203

-87.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.13 Rp 218.9K

$41.89 MX$725

-71.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$10.51 MX$182

-62.51%

Cappuccino

$1.64 Rp 29.6K

$3.59 MX$62.0

-54.32%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,884

$1.51 MX$26.10

-63.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 Rp 5,366

$0.92 MX$15.83

-67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 49.4K

$2.96 MX$51.2

-7.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 Rp 62.8K

$4.41 MX$76.3

-21.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.40 MX$24.16

-13.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$1.88 MX$32.60

-28.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$1.56 MX$26.97

-43.59%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.5K

$2.61 MX$45.14

-41.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 Rp 150.9K

$8.32 MX$144

0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$8.35 MX$145

-71.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 Rp 142.2K

$10.86 MX$188

-27.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$2.71 MX$46.93

-7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 34.3K

$1.51 MX$26.04

25.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

$1.87 MX$32.41

-0.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.9K

$2.19 MX$37.89

-49.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 24.1K

$1.86 MX$32.14

-28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

$2.23 MX$38.59

40.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 Rp 10.7K

$1.07 MX$18.48

-44.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,063

$1.09 MX$18.79

-58.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$4.19 MX$72.4

-56.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.46 Rp 369.4K

$10.43 MX$180

96.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 38.3K

$1.66 MX$28.68

27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 Rp 56.0K

$2.61 MX$45.19

18.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,354

$0.54 MX$9.37

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 Rp 182.8K

$26.16 MX$453

-61.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$3.08 MX$53.3

-81.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,254

$2.40 MX$41.61

-85.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 Rp 52.5K

$3.13 MX$54.1

-7.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 Rp 13.1K

$1.31 MX$22.69

-45.04%

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

$24.9K Rp 449.3M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-16.51%

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

$27.4K Rp 495.3M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

17.63%

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

$68.8 Rp 1.2M

$81.3 MX$1,406

-15.31%

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

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

$22.56 MX$390

-80.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.19 Rp 346.4K

$30.05 MX$520

-36.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.32 Rp 114.1K

$52.9 MX$915

-88.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.26 Rp 113.0K

$18.39 MX$318

-65.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.03 Rp 54.8K

$4.92 MX$85.1

-38.41%

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

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$201 MX$3,474

-52.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,558 Rp 136.4M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

46.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.89 Rp 738.3K

$35.92 MX$622

13.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.20 Rp 545.2K

$40.13 MX$694

-24.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

$79.7 MX$1,379

-15.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.9 Rp 1.3M

$86.5 MX$1,496

-14.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$978 MX$16.9K

-73.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.8M

$470 MX$8,140

-66.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 Rp 10.6M

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-64.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 Rp 5.9M

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-72.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,000 Rp 18.0M

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-74.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$681 Rp 12.3M

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-89.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 Rp 2.9M

$677 MX$11.7K

-76.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Palangkaraya: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Palangkaraya versus $978 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.

Salaries run about 317% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Palangkaraya versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $252 – making Palangkaraya 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 91% more than Palangkaraya, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $989 per month in Palangkaraya and $1,890 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 Palangkaraya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $95.1 per month in Palangkaraya and $201 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 21% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palangkaraya, where all-in costs run around $659, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Palangkaraya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Palangkaraya costs $659 versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Palangkaraya. 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.