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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $755 in Bekasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,160 in Bekasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,566 in Bekasi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 66% more expensive than in Bekasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Bekasi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.15 Rp 56.5K

280.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$12.19 Rp 219.0K

242.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.28 Rp 59.0K

227.74%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

82.29%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.49 Rp 8,854

195.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.28 Rp 5,073

214.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.35 Rp 60.2K

-11.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.23 Rp 76.1K

6.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

14.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

67.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

52.43%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

41.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.99 Rp 161.6K

-7.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.16 Rp 56.7K

166.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.67 Rp 137.8K

39.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.82 Rp 50.7K

-7.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

-8.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

36.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.48 Rp 26.7K

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.58 Rp 46.3K

-15.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

-3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.42 Rp 7,595

154.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.51 Rp 45.2K

63.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$22.33 Rp 401.3K

-54.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.09 Rp 37.5K

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.07 Rp 55.2K

-17.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.39 Rp 6,977

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$12.45 Rp 223.7K

109.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

412.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.38 Rp 6,768

534.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.59 Rp 46.6K

24.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

71.43%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.8K Rp 445.7M

19.75%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.8K Rp 463.3M

-8.21%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$65.0 Rp 1.2M

26.27%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$4.73 Rp 84.9K

385.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$25.82 Rp 463.9K

16.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$17.28 Rp 310.6K

200.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$4.71 Rp 84.6K

293.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.01 Rp 54.2K

65.45%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

97.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$8,249 Rp 148.3M

-35.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$56.5 Rp 1.0M

-36.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$34.02 Rp 611.4K

18.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$84.0 Rp 1.5M

-6.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$91.1 Rp 1.6M

-2.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$310 Rp 5.6M

205.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$185 Rp 3.3M

156.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$549 Rp 9.9M

199.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$374 Rp 6.7M

223.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$578 Rp 10.4M

602.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$905 Rp 16.3M

615.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$355 Rp 6.4M

84.20%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bekasi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $310 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 84% 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 Bekasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $221 per month, with Bekasi 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 Bekasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Bekasi differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $755 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 84% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $310 in Bekasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bekasi – 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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $755 in Bekasi – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $755 in Bekasi versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bekasi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bekasi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bekasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.