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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $787 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,194 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,600 in Balikpapan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 60% more expensive than in Balikpapan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Balikpapan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

641.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$15.12 Rp 273.0K

177.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.32 Rp 59.9K

216.57%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

100.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.41 Rp 7,361

268.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.38 Rp 6,938

142.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.95 Rp 35.1K

51.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.09 Rp 55.8K

42.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

-25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

54.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.31 Rp 23.7K

19.08%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.67 Rp 48.2K

-2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.25 Rp 149.0K

0.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.72 Rp 139.3K

40.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.76 Rp 67.8K

-27.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.12 Rp 38.3K

-11.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.26 Rp 22.8K

73.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.74 Rp 67.6K

-40.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

15.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

37.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.01 Rp 36.4K

108.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$20.19 Rp 364.5K

-48.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.18 Rp 39.3K

-23.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

-40.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$10.12 Rp 182.7K

158.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

154.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.37 Rp 6,708

548.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.07 Rp 109.5K

-48.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

79.45%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$24.5K Rp 443.0M

21.48%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$25.5K Rp 460.1M

-8.49%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$93.1 Rp 1.7M

-12.70%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$3.12 Rp 56.4K

623.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$32.41 Rp 585.2K

-7.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$21.16 Rp 382.0K

150.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$6.02 Rp 108.6K

205.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.01 Rp 54.4K

63.46%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$62.0 Rp 1.1M

224.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$7,605 Rp 137.3M

-31.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$42.03 Rp 758.8K

-14.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$21.04 Rp 379.8K

90.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$125 Rp 2.3M

-36.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$123 Rp 2.2M

-29.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$222 Rp 4.0M

340.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$156 Rp 2.8M

200.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$488 Rp 8.8M

238.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$302 Rp 5.4M

298.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,090 Rp 19.7M

262.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$597 Rp 10.8M

1007.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$192 Rp 3.5M

252.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-23.87%

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 Balikpapan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $222 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 252% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $15.00 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $249 per month, with Balikpapan cheaper across the board.

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 Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Balikpapan differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $787 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 252% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $222 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 158% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $787 in Balikpapan versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Balikpapan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.