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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $517 in Banyuwangi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $802 in Banyuwangi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,087 in Banyuwangi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 144% more expensive than Banyuwangi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Banyuwangi 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$0.79 Rp 13.6K

1377.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$12.26 Rp 210.6K

241.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$3.02 Rp 51.9K

244.37%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.32 Rp 22.6K

173.48%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.41 Rp 7,104

258.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.16 Rp 2,720

468.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.35 Rp 40.3K

28.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$4.08 Rp 70.0K

9.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.13 Rp 19.5K

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.72 Rp 12.3K

155.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.82 Rp 14.2K

96.34%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

185.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.07 Rp 70.0K

108.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$2.26 Rp 38.8K

275.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.15 Rp 122.8K

53.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.17 Rp 37.2K

25.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$0.63 Rp 10.9K

138.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$0.74 Rp 12.8K

164.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.14 Rp 19.6K

85.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.90 Rp 15.4K

106.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.99 Rp 17.1K

119.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.60 Rp 10.3K

78.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.36 Rp 6,251

191.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$2.42 Rp 41.6K

73.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$5.81 Rp 99.8K

76.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.50 Rp 25.8K

11.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.53 Rp 43.4K

-1.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.32 Rp 5,573

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$10.00 Rp 171.8K

162.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.44 Rp 7,603

604.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.29 Rp 4,979

748.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$2.78 Rp 47.8K

16.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.80 Rp 13.7K

57.50%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$21.0K Rp 360.9M

43.64%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$30.8K Rp 528.7M

-23.80%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$51.5 Rp 884.7K

63.15%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$4.24 Rp 72.8K

423.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$19.62 Rp 337.2K

51.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$22.79 Rp 391.7K

130.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$6.19 Rp 106.4K

196.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$2.04 Rp 35.0K

142.65%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$31.33 Rp 538.4K

533.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$1,249 Rp 21.5M

326.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$24.49 Rp 420.9K

46.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$12.09 Rp 207.8K

231.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$62.0 Rp 1.1M

27.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$30.44 Rp 523.2K

184.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$254 Rp 4.4M

285.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$156 Rp 2.7M

201.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$586 Rp 10.1M

172.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$332 Rp 5.7M

265.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,218 Rp 20.9M

231.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$769 Rp 13.2M

755.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$156 Rp 2.7M

358.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.84

66.96%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Banyuwangi: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $254 in Banyuwangi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 359% 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 in Playa del Carmen vs $12 in Banyuwangi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $129 per month, with Banyuwangi 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 Banyuwangi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Banyuwangi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 359% 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: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $254 in Banyuwangi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 95% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Banyuwangi – 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.

At $517 in Banyuwangi versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Banyuwangi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Banyuwangi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Banyuwangi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Banyuwangi 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 Banyuwangi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.