Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cemagi, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cemagi, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,179 in Cemagi, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,101 in Cemagi, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,023 in Cemagi, Bali.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 10% more expensive than Cemagi, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Cemagi, Bali 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$2.94 Rp 53.0K

298.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$26.63 Rp 480.2K

56.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$4.12 Rp 74.4K

158.25%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.4

$2.26 Rp 40.7K

55.75%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$1.11 Rp 20.0K

36.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.61 Rp 11.0K

59.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$2.53 Rp 45.6K

16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$3.16 Rp 56.9K

40.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

-17.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.03

$2.33 Rp 42.1K

-18.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$1.13 Rp 20.4K

45.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$2.35 Rp 42.4K

6.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$14.05 Rp 253.3K

-40.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$4.19 Rp 75.5K

99.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$11.39 Rp 205.4K

-5.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.47

$3.53 Rp 63.6K

-26.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

-1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$2.58 Rp 46.5K

-26.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$2.14 Rp 38.7K

-2.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$1.90 Rp 34.3K

-6.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$2.16 Rp 39.0K

1.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$0.98 Rp 17.6K

6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$0.74 Rp 13.4K

45.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$3.16 Rp 57.0K

29.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$22.59 Rp 407.4K

-54.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$2.75 Rp 49.5K

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.97

$2.61 Rp 47.1K

-1.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.30 Rp 5,388

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$9.28 Rp 167.4K

185.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$0.49 Rp 8,921

565.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.50

$0.47 Rp 8,422

429.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$6.77 Rp 122.1K

-51.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

40.86%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$28.6K Rp 516.0M

5.83%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$36.0K Rp 649.2M

-34.91%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

2.57%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$4.06 Rp 73.2K

447.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$24.07 Rp 434.1K

21.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$87.9 Rp 1.6M

-41.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$5.86 Rp 105.7K

212.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$3.68 Rp 66.4K

37.77%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$286 Rp 5.2M

-29.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$6,191 Rp 111.7M

-15.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$52.2 Rp 942.0K

-29.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$36.49 Rp 658.0K

9.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$84.2 Rp 1.5M

-6.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$74.9 Rp 1.4M

16.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$728 Rp 13.1M

33.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,168

$489 Rp 8.8M

-4.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$2,486 Rp 44.8M

-33.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$1,542 Rp 27.8M

-20.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$2,044 Rp 36.9M

93.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$1,669 Rp 30.1M

289.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.28

-14.01%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cemagi, Bali: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $728 in Cemagi, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Cemagi, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $286, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cemagi, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Cemagi, Bali differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $1,179 including rent). Cemagi, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,769 in Cemagi, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $728 in Cemagi, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $286 in Cemagi, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,179 in Cemagi, Bali versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cemagi, Bali but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cemagi, Bali 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Cemagi, Bali 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 Cemagi, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.