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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,265 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,300 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,334 in Bali, rent included.

Playa del Carmen and Bali have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$2.88 Rp 52.0K

306.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$26.92 Rp 486.7K

55.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$4.08 Rp 73.7K

157.60%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.29 Rp 41.4K

56.77%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

30.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.39 Rp 43.2K

23.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.33 Rp 60.2K

32.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.70 Rp 30.7K

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$2.38 Rp 43.1K

-21.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

36.84%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.33 Rp 42.2K

12.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$14.18 Rp 256.5K

-41.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.14 Rp 74.8K

101.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$11.65 Rp 210.7K

-6.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$3.47 Rp 62.8K

-21.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.52 Rp 27.5K

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$2.59 Rp 46.8K

-27.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$2.13 Rp 38.5K

2.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

2.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.95 Rp 17.3K

12.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.72 Rp 13.1K

51.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$3.02 Rp 54.5K

38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$21.76 Rp 393.4K

-52.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.67 Rp 48.2K

-37.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.69 Rp 48.7K

-2.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.27 Rp 4,838

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$8.22 Rp 148.6K

218.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.46 Rp 8,240

569.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.42 Rp 7,603

471.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$6.23 Rp 112.6K

-49.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

65.82%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$26.2K Rp 473.8M

13.76%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$32.6K Rp 589.6M

-28.47%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$80.2 Rp 1.4M

1.38%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$3.93 Rp 71.0K

474.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$23.58 Rp 426.3K

27.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$80.3 Rp 1.5M

-34.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$5.51 Rp 99.6K

233.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$3.47 Rp 62.7K

41.79%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$277 Rp 5.0M

-27.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$6,008 Rp 108.6M

-13.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$51.4 Rp 928.8K

-30.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$36.41 Rp 658.4K

10.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$82.5 Rp 1.5M

-3.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$74.8 Rp 1.4M

15.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$867 Rp 15.7M

12.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$574 Rp 10.4M

-18.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$2,974 Rp 53.8M

-44.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$1,779 Rp 32.2M

-32.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$2,411 Rp 43.6M

63.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$1,981 Rp 35.8M

233.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$224 Rp 4.1M

201.97%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $867 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 202% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $285 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,898 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.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $277 in Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Bali at $1,265. 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 $1,260 versus $1,265 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.