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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $619 in Gresik.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $964 in Gresik.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,308 in Gresik.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 103% more expensive than in Gresik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Gresik 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$209

$1.22 Rp 21.9K

879.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$734

$11.01 Rp 197.5K

280.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

235.05%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.5

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

134.00%

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

$1.52 MX$26.53

$0.39 Rp 6,933

289.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.93

$0.19 Rp 3,492

378.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.2

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

94.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.5

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

82.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.86

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

22.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$32.03

$1.08 Rp 19.4K

69.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.60

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

106.33%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.43

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

95.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

$8.82 Rp 158.1K

-2.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$149

$3.08 Rp 55.3K

175.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

$6.65 Rp 119.4K

62.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.19

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

20.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.13

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

-2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.00

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

-14.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.96

$1.43 Rp 25.6K

51.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.13

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

34.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.91

$1.77 Rp 31.8K

25.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.14 Rp 20.4K

-6.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.89

$0.42 Rp 7,511

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$2.05 Rp 36.8K

102.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

$11.11 Rp 199.3K

-5.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.50

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.16

$2.36 Rp 42.3K

9.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.98

$0.32 Rp 5,776

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$454

$9.90 Rp 177.5K

162.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.2

$0.44 Rp 7,975

629.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.78

$0.31 Rp 5,579

706.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.7

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

15.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.98

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

117.24%

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

$29.7K MX$519.3K

$21.2K Rp 379.9M

40.16%

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

$23.7K MX$414.3K

$34.8K Rp 623.4M

-31.87%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

-1.65%

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

$22.73 MX$398

$4.18 Rp 75.0K

443.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$515

$19.84 Rp 355.8K

48.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$913

$22.52 Rp 403.9K

131.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$323

$6.16 Rp 110.5K

199.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.3

$2.51 Rp 45.0K

96.41%

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

$202 MX$3,530

$20.02 Rp 359.1K

907.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.3K

$9,284 Rp 166.5M

-43.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$629

$43.14 Rp 773.7K

-16.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$706

$24.63 Rp 441.7K

63.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,397

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

10.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,562

$67.8 Rp 1.2M

31.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

$255 Rp 4.6M

271.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,140

$156 Rp 2.8M

198.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

$584 Rp 10.5M

178.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.9K

$331 Rp 5.9M

260.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.8K

$1,317 Rp 23.6M

198.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.4K

$694 Rp 12.4M

826.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$175 Rp 3.1M

276.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.33

37.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Gresik: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $255 in Gresik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 277% 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 $11.00 in Gresik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $179 per month, with Gresik 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 Gresik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gresik is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 277% 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: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $255 in Gresik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gresik – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $619 in Gresik versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gresik but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gresik the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gresik 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.

Expats usually find Gresik gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.