Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Palangkaraya and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Palangkaraya: $603 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Palangkaraya, Indonesia
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Palangkaraya
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$603
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Palangkaraya and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Palangkaraya and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $603 per month in Palangkaraya vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Palangkaraya $603
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $960 per month in Palangkaraya vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Palangkaraya $960
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,317 per month in Palangkaraya vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Palangkaraya $1,317
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Palangkaraya is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Palangkaraya and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Palangkaraya 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Palangkaraya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.40 Rp 25.3K
$10.67 MX$199
-86.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.83 Rp 250.8K
$43.80 MX$815
-68.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.64 Rp 66.0K
$11.79 MX$219
-69.13%
Cappuccino
$1.47 Rp 26.7K
$3.79 MX$70.5
-61.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 Rp 8,244
$1.30 MX$24.14
-65.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.18 Rp 3,255
$0.83 MX$15.51
-78.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.26 Rp 41.1K
$3.15 MX$58.6
-28.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 Rp 62.8K
$4.93 MX$91.8
-29.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Palangkaraya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 Rp 21.1K
$1.41 MX$26.22
-17.73%
White Bread (500g)
$1.05 Rp 19.1K
$2.20 MX$40.86
-52.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.82 Rp 14.9K
$1.47 MX$27.40
-44.22%
Eggs
$1.40 Rp 25.5K
$2.50 MX$46.46
-44.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.04 Rp 127.7K
$7.29 MX$136
-3.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.21 Rp 40.1K
$7.95 MX$148
-72.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.41 Rp 116.3K
$12.86 MX$239
-50.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
$2.90 MX$53.9
-23.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 Rp 31.3K
$1.38 MX$25.74
25.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 Rp 28.1K
$2.49 MX$46.35
-37.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.93 Rp 16.9K
$2.03 MX$37.77
-54.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.22 Rp 22.2K
$2.02 MX$37.68
-39.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 34.0K
$1.90 MX$35.42
-1.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 Rp 15.5K
$1.14 MX$21.30
-25.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.41 Rp 7,509
$1.24 MX$23.05
-66.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.72 Rp 49.3K
$4.27 MX$79.5
-36.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.79 Rp 377.1K
$9.81 MX$183
111.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 Rp 32.7K
$1.59 MX$29.51
13.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 Rp 52.1K
$2.75 MX$51.1
4.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Palangkaraya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,563
$0.51 MX$9.58
-50.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.65 Rp 211.4K
$27.39 MX$510
-57.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.53 Rp 9,653
$4.76 MX$88.6
-88.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.32 Rp 5,720
$3.25 MX$60.5
-90.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.79 Rp 50.6K
$5.39 MX$100
-48.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.65 Rp 11.7K
$1.53 MX$28.44
-57.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.0K Rp 417.0M
$21.2K MX$394.8K
8.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 583.5M
$23.3K MX$432.9K
38.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Palangkaraya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$64.0 Rp 1.2M
$83.5 MX$1,554
-23.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.37 Rp 79.3K
$23.19 MX$431
-81.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.16 Rp 347.6K
$27.61 MX$514
-30.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Palangkaraya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$5.53 Rp 100.2K
$56.4 MX$1,050
-90.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.04 Rp 145.9K
$28.19 MX$525
-71.48%
Cinema Ticket
$2.69 Rp 48.8K
$5.00 MX$93.1
-46.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Palangkaraya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$94.4 Rp 1.7M
$207 MX$3,854
-54.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,979 Rp 144.7M
$5,231 MX$97.3K
52.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Palangkaraya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.88 Rp 777.9K
$43.45 MX$809
-1.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.02 Rp 508.3K
$42.54 MX$792
-34.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.8 Rp 1.3M
$72.8 MX$1,354
1.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.8 Rp 1.3M
$88.4 MX$1,645
-21.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Palangkaraya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$223 Rp 4.0M
$995 MX$18.5K
-77.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$146 Rp 2.7M
$382 MX$7,116
-61.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$542 Rp 9.8M
$1,674 MX$31.2K
-67.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$361 Rp 6.5M
$1,081 MX$20.1K
-66.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,146 Rp 20.8M
$3,909 MX$72.7K
-70.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$780 Rp 14.2M
$6,138 MX$114.2K
-87.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Palangkaraya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$832 MX$15.5K
-
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 Palangkaraya: October 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Palangkaraya
$187
Playa del Carmen
$257 37.7% $70
Accommodation & Living
Palangkaraya
$146
Playa del Carmen
$382 162% $236
Clothing & Footwear
Palangkaraya
$97
Playa del Carmen
$111 15.2% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Palangkaraya
$87
Playa del Carmen
$134 53.5% $47
Eating Out
Palangkaraya
$61
Playa del Carmen
$200 231% $140
Getting Around
Palangkaraya
$15
Playa del Carmen
$50 242% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Palangkaraya
$11
Playa del Carmen
$66 510% $56

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $223 in Palangkaraya versus $995 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 $14 in Palangkaraya versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $257 – making Palangkaraya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Palangkaraya
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
21:03 9:03 PM
09:03 9:03 AM
12 h behind Palangkaraya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
220,962
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,140 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,309 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.92 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.83 MXN (100 MXN = 4.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Palangkaraya Playa del Carmen 16,950 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Palangkaraya
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Palangkaraya or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen costs about 99% more than Palangkaraya, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Palangkaraya and in Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $905 per month in Palangkaraya and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Palangkaraya or Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Palangkaraya, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $223 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
How do childcare costs compare in Palangkaraya and in Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $94 per month in Palangkaraya and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Palangkaraya or in Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 38% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Palangkaraya or in Playa del Carmen?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Palangkaraya, where all-in costs run around $603, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Palangkaraya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Palangkaraya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Palangkaraya is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 50% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Palangkaraya vs other spots: cost of living compared

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