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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $569 in Bandar Lampung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $864 in Bandar Lampung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,159 in Bandar Lampung.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 128% more expensive than Bandar Lampung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Bandar Lampung 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.68 Rp 30.0K

598.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$12.43 Rp 222.0K

234.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.25 Rp 58.1K

227.38%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.96 Rp 17.1K

266.67%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.36 Rp 6,465

319.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.24 Rp 4,272

304.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.03 Rp 36.3K

45.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.26 Rp 58.2K

36.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

14.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

98.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

105.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

78.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.36 Rp 113.6K

31.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.04 Rp 54.2K

174.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.25 Rp 111.5K

71.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.97 Rp 35.1K

31.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

39.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

40.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.41 Rp 25.1K

47.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

52.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.75 Rp 31.3K

25.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

73.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.42 Rp 7,497

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.89 Rp 33.7K

115.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$20.91 Rp 373.3K

-50.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.55 Rp 27.7K

10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.20 Rp 57.2K

-19.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.59 Rp 10.6K

-13.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$9.54 Rp 170.3K

177.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.53 Rp 9,470

515.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.35 Rp 6,199

611.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$3.15 Rp 56.2K

3.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.67 Rp 12.0K

95.52%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$24.6K Rp 439.8M

22.94%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.9K Rp 443.9M

-5.74%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$43.55 Rp 777.8K

90.29%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$6.53 Rp 116.6K

240.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$26.96 Rp 481.4K

8.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$23.32 Rp 416.5K

121.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$9.23 Rp 164.9K

98.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

84.36%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$30.38 Rp 542.5K

560.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$9,575 Rp 171.0M

-45.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$23.05 Rp 411.6K

60.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$20.56 Rp 367.1K

93.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$21.58 Rp 385.4K

263.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$40.54 Rp 723.9K

114.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$258 Rp 4.6M

277.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$159 Rp 2.8M

194.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$587 Rp 10.5M

179.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$329 Rp 5.9M

270.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,155 Rp 20.6M

241.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$727 Rp 13.0M

794.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$180 Rp 3.2M

269.79%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bandar Lampung: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $258 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 $182 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 128% 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.

Playa del Carmen pays 270% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $258 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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $569 in Bandar Lampung – a 128% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $569 in Bandar Lampung versus $1,297 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 $569 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 128% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.