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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,295 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,292 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,289 in Bali, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 2% cheaper 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.90 Rp 51.9K

309.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$27.50 Rp 492.7K

56.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.08 Rp 73.1K

161.03%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.35 Rp 42.0K

46.81%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

63.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

26.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.20 Rp 57.3K

44.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.66 Rp 29.7K

-16.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-19.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

40.00%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.34 Rp 42.0K

10.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$13.86 Rp 248.3K

-40.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

109.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.52 Rp 206.4K

-7.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.50 Rp 62.6K

-24.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.55 Rp 45.7K

-24.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-6.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.85 Rp 33.1K

0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

2.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

51.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.11 Rp 55.8K

33.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$21.97 Rp 393.6K

-52.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.76 Rp 49.5K

-37.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.70 Rp 48.3K

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.27 Rp 4,779

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$8.17 Rp 146.5K

229.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.46 Rp 8,235

580.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.46 Rp 8,225

445.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.22 Rp 111.5K

-49.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

49.41%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$25.9K Rp 463.4M

17.42%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$32.6K Rp 584.2M

-27.73%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$80.0 Rp 1.4M

3.78%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.00 Rp 71.7K

467.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$23.97 Rp 429.5K

22.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

-37.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$5.33 Rp 95.5K

243.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.32 Rp 59.5K

48.49%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$273 Rp 4.9M

-27.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,093 Rp 109.2M

-13.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$51.5 Rp 922.7K

-28.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$36.05 Rp 645.9K

10.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

-3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$72.6 Rp 1.3M

23.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$882 Rp 15.8M

8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$583 Rp 10.4M

-18.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$2,917 Rp 52.3M

-43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,819 Rp 32.6M

-32.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,419 Rp 43.3M

61.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,929 Rp 34.6M

234.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$220 Rp 3.9M

202.87%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bali: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $882 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 203% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $283 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

Bali costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,943 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,295 in Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Bali at $1,295. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,271 versus $1,295 in Bali. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.