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: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $508 in Banyuwangi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $802 in Banyuwangi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,097 in Banyuwangi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 148% more expensive than in Banyuwangi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Banyuwangi 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$209

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

1393.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$734

$12.33 Rp 221.2K

240.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$3.01 Rp 54.1K

246.18%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.5

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

154.35%

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

$1.52 MX$26.53

$0.38 Rp 6,900

300.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.93

$0.19 Rp 3,484

378.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.2

$2.35 Rp 42.1K

29.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.5

$3.98 Rp 71.3K

9.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.86

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

30.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$32.03

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

157.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.60

$0.84 Rp 15.0K

94.05%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.43

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

188.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

$3.89 Rp 69.8K

120.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$149

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

272.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

$7.11 Rp 127.6K

51.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.19

$2.14 Rp 38.3K

28.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.13

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

128.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.00

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

158.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.96

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

100.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.13

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

102.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.91

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

122.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

69.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.89

$0.36 Rp 6,512

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

70.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

$5.56 Rp 99.8K

87.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.50

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.16

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.98

$0.32 Rp 5,808

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$454

$9.79 Rp 175.7K

164.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.2

$0.45 Rp 7,987

613.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.78

$0.29 Rp 5,141

762.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.7

$2.81 Rp 50.4K

13.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.98

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

57.50%

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

$29.7K MX$519.3K

$21.1K Rp 379.2M

40.43%

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

$23.7K MX$414.3K

$31.1K Rp 557.5M

-23.81%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$50.7 Rp 910.1K

61.67%

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

$22.73 MX$398

$4.23 Rp 75.9K

437.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$515

$19.29 Rp 346.0K

52.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$913

$23.03 Rp 413.0K

126.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$323

$6.04 Rp 108.3K

205.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.3

$2.12 Rp 38.0K

132.55%

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

$202 MX$3,530

$30.59 Rp 548.6K

559.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.3K

$1,216 Rp 21.8M

329.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$629

$24.50 Rp 439.4K

46.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$706

$12.26 Rp 219.9K

228.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,397

$62.5 Rp 1.1M

27.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,562

$30.65 Rp 549.7K

191.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

$254 Rp 4.6M

272.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,140

$157 Rp 2.8M

195.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

$596 Rp 10.7M

173.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.9K

$333 Rp 6.0M

258.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.8K

$1,171 Rp 21.0M

235.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.4K

$703 Rp 12.6M

814.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$154 Rp 2.8M

327.94%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Banyuwangi: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $254 in Banyuwangi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 328% 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 Banyuwangi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $127 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 148% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 328% 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: $948 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 98% 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 $508 in Banyuwangi versus $1,259 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 148% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.