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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $597 in Cimahi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $961 in Cimahi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,326 in Cimahi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 112% more expensive than in Cimahi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Cimahi 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.66 Rp 29.4K

598.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$14.29 Rp 253.0K

229.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.49 Rp 61.8K

240.40%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

151.90%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.46 Rp 8,163

210.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.23 Rp 4,052

256.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.76 Rp 48.8K

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.07 Rp 54.3K

121.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

48.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

113.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.83 Rp 14.7K

106.02%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.50 Rp 26.5K

82.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.33 Rp 129.8K

30.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

212.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.80 Rp 138.2K

64.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

29.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

32.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.55 Rp 27.4K

38.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.98 Rp 17.4K

130.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

83.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

4.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

75.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.43 Rp 7,642

179.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.77 Rp 49.0K

64.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$21.11 Rp 373.8K

-50.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.88 Rp 33.2K

-13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.09 Rp 54.7K

-6.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.29 Rp 5,093

106.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.52 Rp 9,288

936.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.35 Rp 6,217

965.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$2.37 Rp 41.9K

143.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.84 Rp 14.9K

83.33%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$21.3K Rp 377.1M

5.88%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$29.1K Rp 516.1M

-10.60%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$34.20 Rp 605.5K

167.19%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$4.42 Rp 78.3K

470.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$19.15 Rp 339.0K

63.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$20.00 Rp 354.1K

236.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$8.37 Rp 148.3K

247.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$2.76 Rp 48.8K

76.09%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$95.9 Rp 1.7M

133.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$8,308 Rp 147.1M

-49.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$40.42 Rp 715.7K

16.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$29.43 Rp 521.2K

50.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$74.3 Rp 1.3M

7.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$70.8 Rp 1.3M

30.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$218 Rp 3.9M

386.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$138 Rp 2.4M

182.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$632 Rp 11.2M

240.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$321 Rp 5.7M

296.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,138 Rp 20.2M

251.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$739 Rp 13.1M

779.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$258 Rp 4.6M

193.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.46

21.04%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Cimahi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $218 in Cimahi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 194% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Cimahi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $193 per month, with Cimahi 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 Cimahi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cimahi wins on cost – living expenses run 112% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cimahi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 194% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $218 in Cimahi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $597 in Cimahi – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $597 in Cimahi versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cimahi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cimahi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cimahi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $597 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cimahi hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Cimahi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.