Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gili Trawangan Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gili Trawangan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $997 in Gili Trawangan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,737 in Gili Trawangan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,477 in Gili Trawangan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 30% more expensive than Gili Trawangan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Gili Trawangan 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

386.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$21.45 Rp 389.6K

94.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$3.36 Rp 61.0K

216.67%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

$1.80 Rp 32.8K

95.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.38

$0.92 Rp 16.7K

64.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.01

$0.49 Rp 8,987

97.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$1.96 Rp 35.6K

50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$2.65 Rp 48.1K

67.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.17

$1.36 Rp 24.7K

1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$1.85 Rp 33.6K

2.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.60

$0.94 Rp 17.1K

74.47%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.77

$1.87 Rp 34.0K

34.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$11.07 Rp 201.0K

-24.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$3.30 Rp 60.0K

152.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$8.94 Rp 162.4K

20.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.49

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

-10.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.19 Rp 21.7K

22.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.20

$2.15 Rp 39.0K

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.27

$1.72 Rp 31.2K

20.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.02

$1.50 Rp 27.3K

18.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.17

$1.67 Rp 30.4K

31.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.17

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

36.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$0.59 Rp 10.8K

83.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$2.52 Rp 45.7K

61.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$17.84 Rp 324.1K

-42.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.91

$2.14 Rp 38.8K

-20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.99

$2.08 Rp 37.8K

24.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.23 Rp 4,172

121.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$6.93 Rp 125.9K

281.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$0.38 Rp 6,985

757.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.52

$0.39 Rp 7,012

538.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$5.25 Rp 95.3K

-38.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.84

$0.69 Rp 12.6K

89.86%

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

$30.3K MX$528.9K

$21.9K Rp 397.0M

38.56%

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

$23.4K MX$409.3K

$27.0K Rp 490.8M

-13.28%

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

$82.9 MX$1,448

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

23.19%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$3.41 Rp 61.9K

551.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$513

$20.24 Rp 367.6K

44.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$67.5 Rp 1.2M

-23.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$4.55 Rp 82.7K

302.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$2.85 Rp 51.8K

77.89%

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

$201 MX$3,508

$217 Rp 3.9M

-7.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$4,856 Rp 88.2M

7.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$47.55 Rp 863.7K

-22.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$32.76 Rp 595.1K

21.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$76.1 Rp 1.4M

3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$67.5 Rp 1.2M

29.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$607 Rp 11.0M

60.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,171

$407 Rp 7.4M

14.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$2,044 Rp 37.1M

-19.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$1,260 Rp 22.9M

-3.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$1,665 Rp 30.2M

137.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$1,381 Rp 25.1M

370.67%

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 Gili Trawangan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $607 in Gili Trawangan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $21.00 in Gili Trawangan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $227 per month, with Gili Trawangan 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 Gili Trawangan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gili Trawangan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,495 in Gili Trawangan 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 $607 in Gili Trawangan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gili Trawangan – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $997 in Gili Trawangan versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gili Trawangan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gili Trawangan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gili Trawangan 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 Gili Trawangan 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 Gili Trawangan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.