Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bandar Lampung Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bandar Lampung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $553 in Bandar Lampung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $857 in Bandar Lampung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,162 in Bandar Lampung.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 127% more expensive than in Bandar Lampung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Bandar Lampung 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.70 Rp 30.5K

605.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$12.40 Rp 222.9K

236.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.20 Rp 57.4K

235.94%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

246.53%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.36 Rp 6,547

302.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.24 Rp 4,270

266.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.99 Rp 35.7K

48.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.16 Rp 56.7K

42.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

21.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

95.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

103.90%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.35 Rp 24.3K

85.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.41 Rp 115.2K

29.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$2.87 Rp 51.5K

193.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.02 Rp 108.2K

77.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.95 Rp 35.1K

33.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

35.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

45.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

43.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

58.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

29.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

83.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.46 Rp 8,261

132.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

120.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$20.72 Rp 372.3K

-50.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

-20.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$10.08 Rp 181.1K

158.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.53 Rp 9,593

509.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.35 Rp 6,287

588.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.02 Rp 54.2K

6.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

100.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.5K Rp 439.7M

21.38%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$24.2K Rp 435.0M

-2.25%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$43.70 Rp 785.4K

87.67%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$6.69 Rp 120.2K

243.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$27.78 Rp 499.2K

8.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$23.26 Rp 418.1K

123.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$9.10 Rp 163.5K

103.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$2.81 Rp 50.6K

77.22%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$31.10 Rp 558.8K

534.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,597 Rp 172.5M

-44.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$23.10 Rp 415.1K

54.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$21.00 Rp 377.4K

92.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$21.54 Rp 387.1K

265.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$40.46 Rp 727.1K

119.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$263 Rp 4.7M

259.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$155 Rp 2.8M

205.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$595 Rp 10.7M

176.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$334 Rp 6.0M

262.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,133 Rp 20.4M

258.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$687 Rp 12.3M

841.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$177 Rp 3.2M

269.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.59

19.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bandar Lampung: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $263 in Bandar Lampung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 270% 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 $12.00 in Bandar Lampung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $180 per month, with Bandar Lampung 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 Bandar Lampung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandar Lampung wins on cost – living expenses run 127% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandar Lampung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 270% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $263 in Bandar Lampung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandar Lampung – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $553 in Bandar Lampung – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $553 in Bandar Lampung versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bandar Lampung but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bandar Lampung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandar Lampung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $553 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandar Lampung hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bandar Lampung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.