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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,278 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,318 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,357 in Bali, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Bali 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

314.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$27.30 Rp 471.5K

56.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$4.17 Rp 72.0K

153.96%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.38 Rp 41.0K

52.10%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.10 Rp 19.0K

33.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.61 Rp 10.6K

54.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.48 Rp 42.8K

24.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$3.17 Rp 54.7K

40.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.67 Rp 28.8K

-14.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$2.41 Rp 41.7K

-21.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

42.98%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.26 Rp 39.1K

16.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$13.83 Rp 238.8K

-40.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$4.14 Rp 71.4K

100.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$11.53 Rp 199.0K

-3.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$3.47 Rp 59.9K

-23.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.48 Rp 25.6K

1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.68 Rp 46.3K

-25.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$2.11 Rp 36.5K

-1.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

-6.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$2.12 Rp 36.5K

2.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.01 Rp 17.4K

6.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.69 Rp 11.9K

50.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$3.15 Rp 54.4K

26.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$22.59 Rp 390.0K

-54.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$2.64 Rp 45.5K

-34.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.59 Rp 44.8K

-3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.29 Rp 5,053

79.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

230.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.48 Rp 8,304

554.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.43 Rp 7,398

458.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$6.25 Rp 108.0K

-50.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.87 Rp 15.0K

45.98%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$26.0K Rp 448.2M

18.96%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$32.8K Rp 565.6M

-28.83%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

3.80%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$4.05 Rp 69.9K

454.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$24.32 Rp 420.0K

21.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$82.5 Rp 1.4M

-37.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$5.47 Rp 94.5K

241.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$3.47 Rp 59.9K

43.23%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$269 Rp 4.6M

-26.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$5,944 Rp 102.6M

-11.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$51.7 Rp 893.2K

-29.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$36.29 Rp 626.6K

10.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$84.4 Rp 1.5M

-5.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$856 Rp 14.8M

12.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$573 Rp 9.9M

-18.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$2,908 Rp 50.2M

-45.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$1,824 Rp 31.5M

-33.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$2,664 Rp 46.0M

47.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$2,077 Rp 35.9M

210.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$219 Rp 3.8M

228.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.28

-14.01%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $856 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 228% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $284 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 1% 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,917 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $27.00 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,278 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 $1,278, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $1,278 versus $1,287 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.