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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $523 in Banyuwangi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $806 in Banyuwangi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,089 in Banyuwangi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 143% more expensive than Banyuwangi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Banyuwangi 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$0.74 Rp 13.4K

1504.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$12.42 Rp 225.3K

245.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$3.02 Rp 54.8K

252.65%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

161.36%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$0.41 Rp 7,498

265.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.17 Rp 3,052

458.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.29 Rp 41.5K

32.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$4.09 Rp 74.2K

12.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.12 Rp 20.3K

23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

164.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$0.83 Rp 15.1K

93.98%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$0.87 Rp 15.8K

197.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$3.91 Rp 70.8K

111.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

259.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$7.11 Rp 128.9K

49.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$2.23 Rp 40.4K

17.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

136.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$0.80 Rp 14.5K

140.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$1.09 Rp 19.8K

91.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$0.90 Rp 16.4K

106.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.00 Rp 18.2K

126.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

65.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.37 Rp 6,679

194.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$2.45 Rp 44.4K

69.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$5.42 Rp 98.3K

91.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$2.53 Rp 45.9K

3.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.30 Rp 5,410

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$10.00 Rp 181.4K

169.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$0.45 Rp 8,113

595.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$0.29 Rp 5,170

765.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$2.74 Rp 49.7K

14.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$0.81 Rp 14.8K

56.79%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$20.9K Rp 378.9M

45.39%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$31.3K Rp 568.2M

-24.78%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$51.9 Rp 941.8K

59.83%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$4.18 Rp 75.9K

443.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$19.55 Rp 354.6K

50.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$22.85 Rp 414.4K

123.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$6.01 Rp 108.9K

204.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$2.01 Rp 36.5K

145.27%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$31.28 Rp 567.3K

530.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$1,242 Rp 22.5M

325.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$24.38 Rp 442.2K

51.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$12.44 Rp 225.7K

220.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$62.1 Rp 1.1M

28.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$30.20 Rp 547.7K

196.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$258 Rp 4.7M

270.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$155 Rp 2.8M

207.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$576 Rp 10.4M

185.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$328 Rp 6.0M

273.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$1,158 Rp 21.0M

238.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$676 Rp 12.3M

855.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$147 Rp 2.7M

352.23%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Banyuwangi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $258 in Banyuwangi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 352% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Banyuwangi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 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 143% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 352% 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $258 in Banyuwangi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $523 in Banyuwangi versus $1,271 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 143% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.