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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $612 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $947 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,282 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 110% more than Banjarmasin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Banjarmasin are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Banjarmasin 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Banjarmasin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$1.25 Rp 21.6K
855.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$12.39 Rp 214.7K
245.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$2.66 Rp 46.2K
298.12%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$1.06 Rp 18.4K
241.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$1.01 Rp 17.5K
45.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$0.33 Rp 5,797
184.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$2.53 Rp 43.8K
22.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$3.63 Rp 62.9K
22.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Banjarmasin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.49 Rp 25.9K
-4.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$0.96 Rp 16.7K
95.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$1.62 Rp 28.1K
0.62%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$1.45 Rp 25.2K
82.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$8.06 Rp 139.7K
1.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$2.43 Rp 42.1K
241.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$4.01 Rp 69.6K
176.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$1.95 Rp 33.8K
35.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$1.01 Rp 17.5K
48.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$0.99 Rp 17.2K
101.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$0.70 Rp 12.1K
197.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$1.05 Rp 18.2K
70.48%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$1.09 Rp 18.9K
100.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$0.84 Rp 14.5K
28.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$0.44 Rp 7,641
136.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$1.88 Rp 32.6K
111.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$21.61 Rp 374.6K
-52.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$2.04 Rp 35.4K
-15.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$3.17 Rp 54.9K
-21.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Banjarmasin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$0.29 Rp 5,004
79.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
$18.20 Rp 315.4K
48.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$1.20 Rp 20.7K
161.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$0.75 Rp 13.0K
220.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$2.90 Rp 50.3K
6.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$0.91 Rp 15.8K
39.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$24.8K Rp 429.3M
24.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$27.9K Rp 484.2M
-16.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Banjarmasin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$44.13 Rp 764.9K
85.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$3.05 Rp 52.9K
636.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$18.84 Rp 326.5K
57.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Banjarmasin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$48.67 Rp 843.5K
6.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
$6.06 Rp 105.1K
208.09%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$6.29 Rp 109.1K
-20.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Banjarmasin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$61.7 Rp 1.1M
220.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$7,717 Rp 133.7M
-31.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Banjarmasin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$27.70 Rp 480.2K
31.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$30.47 Rp 528.1K
31.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$59.8 Rp 1.0M
33.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$35.47 Rp 614.8K
150.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Banjarmasin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$258 Rp 4.5M
274.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$158 Rp 2.7M
193.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$593 Rp 10.3M
169.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$339 Rp 5.9M
257.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
$1,231 Rp 21.3M
220.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
$789 Rp 13.7M
717.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Banjarmasin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
$205 Rp 3.6M
251.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
9.15
24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Banjarmasin: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $258 in Banjarmasin. 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 251% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Banjarmasin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $182 – making Banjarmasin 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 Banjarmasin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banjarmasin cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 110%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $917 in Banjarmasin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjarmasin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Banjarmasin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $12.00 in Banjarmasin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Banjarmasin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $612 in Banjarmasin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Banjarmasin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banjarmasin, where all-in costs run around $612, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Banjarmasin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Banjarmasin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Banjarmasin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Banjarmasin. 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.

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