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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,275 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,093 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,912 in Bali, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bali 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.78 Rp 49.0K

330.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$30.58 Rp 538.3K

54.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$4.71 Rp 83.0K

149.47%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.34 Rp 41.1K

76.07%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

-7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.67 Rp 11.8K

35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.56 Rp 45.1K

25.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.67 Rp 64.6K

92.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.12 Rp 37.3K

1.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

59.46%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.02 Rp 35.5K

39.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$16.67 Rp 293.5K

-44.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.75 Rp 66.0K

146.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$11.85 Rp 208.7K

6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.51 Rp 61.9K

-15.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.54 Rp 27.1K

2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

-1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.92 Rp 33.7K

22.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

15.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.30 Rp 40.5K

-13.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.01 Rp 17.7K

22.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.51 Rp 9,046

137.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.13 Rp 37.4K

115.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$21.59 Rp 380.1K

-51.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

-23.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.86 Rp 50.3K

-3.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.25 Rp 4,377

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$8.22 Rp 144.6K

261.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.49 Rp 8,567

969.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.48 Rp 8,392

660.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$5.52 Rp 97.1K

4.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

90.12%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$24.7K Rp 435.2M

-7.76%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$31.8K Rp 559.5M

-18.77%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$82.8 Rp 1.5M

9.57%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

288.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$19.04 Rp 335.1K

66.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$47.52 Rp 836.6K

44.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$15.14 Rp 266.6K

93.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$3.77 Rp 66.3K

28.91%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$446 Rp 7.9M

-49.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$5,332 Rp 93.9M

-21.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$44.63 Rp 785.8K

6.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$33.69 Rp 593.1K

28.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$77.2 Rp 1.4M

3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

17.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,003 Rp 17.7M

8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$610 Rp 10.7M

-32.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$3,095 Rp 54.5M

-36.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,500 Rp 26.4M

-14.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,478 Rp 43.6M

63.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,968 Rp 34.7M

240.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$220 Rp 3.9M

251.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.78

-16.91%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bali: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,003 in Bali. 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 251% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $278 in Bali – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Bali, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,913 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $31.00 in Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,275 in Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,275, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Bali 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. Bali costs $1,275 versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bali. 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.