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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $840 in Jakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,379 in Jakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,919 in Jakarta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Jakarta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jakarta are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Jakarta 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.11 Rp 56.0K

285.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.11 Rp 325.4K

130.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.46 Rp 62.3K

210.69%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.10 Rp 37.8K

66.67%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.55 Rp 9,908

163.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.28 Rp 5,086

214.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

4.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.21 Rp 75.7K

7.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

58.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

65.26%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.49 Rp 116.7K

27.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

160.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.55 Rp 135.7K

41.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

-10.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.27 Rp 40.8K

-13.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

33.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

3.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

-16.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.46 Rp 8,284

132.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

37.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$20.56 Rp 369.5K

-50.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

-23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.24 Rp 58.3K

-21.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.21 Rp 3,760

142.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$12.21 Rp 219.4K

113.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.54 Rp 9,622

498.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.37 Rp 6,681

551.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

3.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

65.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$30.2K Rp 542.7M

-1.67%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$32.7K Rp 588.0M

-27.68%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

-8.29%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$6.51 Rp 116.9K

252.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$27.21 Rp 488.9K

10.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$29.97 Rp 538.6K

73.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$12.61 Rp 226.7K

46.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

60.65%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$166 Rp 3.0M

18.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,566 Rp 171.9M

-44.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

-38.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$33.85 Rp 608.2K

19.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

-4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

-1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$381 Rp 6.8M

148.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$236 Rp 4.2M

100.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,152 Rp 20.7M

42.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$660 Rp 11.9M

83.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,958 Rp 53.2M

37.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,431 Rp 25.7M

352.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$421 Rp 7.6M

55.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.59

19.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $381 in Jakarta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 55% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Jakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $214 – making Jakarta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Jakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,260 in Jakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jakarta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $166 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jakarta, where all-in costs run around $840, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Jakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jakarta costs $840 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Jakarta. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.