๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,204 in Cemagi, Bali.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,125 in Cemagi, Bali.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,047 in Cemagi, Bali.
๐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 5% more expensive than Cemagi, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen6% lower, Cemagi, Bali11% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.61MX$201
$2.95Rpย 50.5K
293.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$740
$26.99Rpย 462.4K
58.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.60MX$184
$4.21Rpย 72.1K
151.78%
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.2
$2.29Rpย 39.2K
56.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45MX$25.15
$1.14Rpย 19.5K
27.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90MX$15.55
$0.61Rpย 10.5K
47.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$52.5
$2.39Rpย 41.0K
26.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56MX$79.0
$3.14Rpย 53.9K
45.22%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.45MX$25.14
$1.73Rpย 29.6K
-16.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83MX$31.64
$2.30Rpย 39.5K
-20.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.85
$1.15Rpย 19.7K
40.00%
Eggs
$2.54MX$43.95
$2.35Rpย 40.3K
8.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.54MX$148
$13.87Rpย 237.8K
-38.43%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.47MX$147
$4.06Rpย 69.5K
108.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$188
$11.22Rpย 192.3K
-3.21%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73MX$47.26
$3.66Rpย 62.7K
-25.41%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.85
$1.53Rpย 26.2K
-2.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.94MX$33.65
$2.58Rpย 44.2K
-24.81%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.49
$2.13Rpย 36.6K
1.41%
Potato(1kg)
$1.85MX$31.97
$1.91Rpย 32.7K
-3.14%
Onion(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.91
$2.15Rpย 36.9K
1.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.58
$1.04Rpย 17.7K
2.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08MX$18.76
$0.74Rpย 12.7K
45.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.06MX$70.3
$3.13Rpย 53.6K
29.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.46MX$181
$22.54Rpย 386.2K
-53.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65MX$28.64
$2.71Rpย 46.5K
-39.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55MX$44.13
$2.64Rpย 45.3K
-3.41%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.56MX$9.63
$0.32Rpย 5,564
75.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.20MX$454
$8.84Rpย 151.5K
196.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.4
$0.50Rpย 8,576
528.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.37MX$41.08
$0.46Rpย 7,870
415.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.24MX$56.1
$6.59Rpย 113.0K
-50.83%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.76
$0.95Rpย 16.2K
37.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5KMX$528.9K
$29.2KRpย 499.6M
4.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8KMX$412.6K
$34.9KRpย 598.1M
-31.75%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.1MX$1,440
$80.1Rpย 1.4M
3.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.15MX$384
$4.02Rpย 68.9K
451.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.37MX$509
$23.67Rpย 405.6K
24.08%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.2MX$887
$87.2Rpย 1.5M
-41.32%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69MX$324
$5.96Rpย 102.1K
213.59%
Cinema Ticket
$4.89MX$84.7
$3.68Rpย 63.0K
32.88%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$199MX$3,441
$286Rpย 4.9M
-30.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,207MX$90.2K
$6,194Rpย 106.1M
-15.94%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.93MX$622
$51.1Rpย 874.8K
-29.62%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.39MX$682
$35.78Rpย 613.1K
10.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.3MX$1,391
$82.9Rpย 1.4M
-3.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.6MX$1,517
$73.0Rpย 1.3M
19.88%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.7K
$739Rpย 12.7M
30.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482MX$8,350
$491Rpย 8.4M
-1.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,645MX$28.5K
$2,549Rpย 43.7M
-35.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,192MX$20.6K
$1,533Rpย 26.3M
-22.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,957MX$68.5K
$2,258Rpย 38.7M
75.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,513MX$112.8K
$1,726Rpย 29.6M
277.45%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Cemagi, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$726MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
13.28
-14.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026
Last update for Cemagi, Bali: April 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $739 in Cemagi, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $27 in Cemagi, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $253 vs $285, 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
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Cemagi, Bali?
Playa del Carmen and Cemagi, Bali differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,262 vs $1,204 including rent). Cemagi, Bali is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Cemagi, Bali?
You'd need roughly $1,894 in Playa del Carmen and $1,805 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Cemagi, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $739 in Cemagi, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Cemagi, Bali?
Childcare runs $199 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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,204 in Cemagi, Bali versus $1,262 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.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Cemagi, Bali?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Cemagi, Bali safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Cemagi, Bali?
Expats usually find Cemagi, Bali gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 5% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared