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 $618 per month in Palangkaraya vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $982 per month in Palangkaraya vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,347 per month in Palangkaraya vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Palangkaraya is about 51% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Palangkaraya and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Palangkaraya 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.39 Rp 24.7K

$11.60 MX$200

-88.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.63 Rp 241.3K

$47.11 MX$812

-71.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 Rp 64.3K

$11.88 MX$205

-69.44%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

$3.98 MX$68.6

-62.06%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,021

$1.43 MX$24.60

-68.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 Rp 3,533

$0.82 MX$14.22

-75.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 Rp 42.2K

$3.19 MX$55.0

-25.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.2K

$6.79 MX$117

-41.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.8K

$1.68 MX$28.89

-30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 Rp 19.3K

$2.20 MX$37.88

-50.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.8K

$1.71 MX$29.45

-47.95%

Eggs

$1.45 Rp 25.6K

$2.74 MX$47.26

-47.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 Rp 130.9K

$9.58 MX$165

-22.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 38.8K

$9.01 MX$155

-75.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 Rp 119.8K

$12.81 MX$221

-47.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 39.9K

$2.89 MX$49.81

-22.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 Rp 30.3K

$1.50 MX$25.81

14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 Rp 31.3K

$2.15 MX$37.03

-17.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

$2.26 MX$38.96

-58.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.7K

$1.98 MX$34.15

-38.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

$1.99 MX$34.30

1.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

$1.23 MX$21.28

-41.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,587

$1.20 MX$20.63

-64.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 Rp 48.5K

$4.55 MX$78.5

-39.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.07 Rp 320.0K

$10.37 MX$179

74.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 Rp 33.2K

$1.62 MX$27.91

16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 Rp 60.4K

$2.88 MX$49.67

18.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 Rp 4,918

$0.60 MX$10.35

-53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,503

$5.39 MX$92.9

-91.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 Rp 5,734

$3.73 MX$64.3

-91.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

$5.77 MX$99.5

-56.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

$1.54 MX$26.48

-57.14%

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

$23.6K Rp 417.1M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

4.46%

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

$27.7K Rp 489.7M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

6.14%

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

$66.0 Rp 1.2M

$91.4 MX$1,576

-27.80%

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

$4.50 Rp 79.7K

$25.20 MX$435

-82.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.18 Rp 339.7K

$31.24 MX$539

-38.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.56 Rp 98.5K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-91.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.56 Rp 133.9K

$29.11 MX$502

-74.03%

Cinema Ticket

$2.52 Rp 44.6K

$4.86 MX$83.8

-48.15%

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

$105 Rp 1.9M

$224 MX$3,856

-53.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,638 Rp 152.9M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

104.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.06 Rp 780.2K

$47.10 MX$812

-6.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.24 Rp 553.2K

$44.29 MX$764

-29.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 Rp 1.4M

$80.1 MX$1,381

0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$92.7 MX$1,598

-15.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 Rp 4.3M

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-76.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 Rp 2.4M

$390 MX$6,728

-65.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 Rp 10.4M

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-72.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 Rp 7.2M

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-67.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,299 Rp 23.0M

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-67.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$681 Rp 12.1M

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-89.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $245 in Palangkaraya versus $1,063 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 $14.00 in Palangkaraya versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $276 – 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 105% 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 $926 per month in Palangkaraya and $1,899 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $618 in Palangkaraya and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $105 per month in Palangkaraya and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palangkaraya, where all-in costs run around $618, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $618 versus $1,266 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.