Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Banda Aceh Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Banda Aceh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $326 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $521 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $716 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 288% more than Banda Aceh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Banda Aceh are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Banda Aceh 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

404.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$7.01 Rp 124.1K

572.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.50 Rp 61.9K

239.43%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.26 Rp 22.3K

215.87%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.42 Rp 7,429

240.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.24 Rp 4,264

241.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

27.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.93 Rp 69.6K

72.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.65 Rp 29.3K

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

147.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

125.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.61 Rp 28.5K

70.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.58 Rp 151.9K

11.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.49 Rp 44.0K

261.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.83 Rp 120.9K

87.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

25.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

70.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

141.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.88 Rp 15.5K

156.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.47 Rp 61.4K

-42.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

51.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.45 Rp 7,985

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.17 Rp 56.2K

43.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.67 Rp 11.9K

129.85%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$34.54 Rp 611.7K

164.56%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$2.36 Rp 41.8K

967.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$23.88 Rp 422.8K

30.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$9.69 Rp 171.5K

593.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$13.38 Rp 237.0K

117.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,963 Rp 34.8M

115.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$28.52 Rp 505.1K

65.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$22.86 Rp 404.8K

93.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$44.76 Rp 792.6K

78.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$28.29 Rp 501.0K

227.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Banda Aceh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $7.00 in Banda Aceh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $137 – making Banda Aceh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Banda Aceh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 288%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $490 in Banda Aceh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 102% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $7.00 in Banda Aceh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banda Aceh, where all-in costs run around $326, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Banda Aceh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Banda Aceh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Banda Aceh. 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.