Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jimbaran, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jimbaran, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,371 in Jimbaran, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,489 in Jimbaran, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,608 in Jimbaran, Bali.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 8% less than in Jimbaran, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Jimbaran, Bali is 3% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.95 MX$208
$3.42 Rp 61.2K
249.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.94 MX$730
$30.84 Rp 552.2K
35.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.42 MX$181
$4.81 Rp 86.2K
116.63%
Cappuccino
$3.51 MX$61.2
$2.60 Rp 46.5K
35.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 MX$26.39
$1.26 Rp 22.6K
20.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.85
$0.71 Rp 12.7K
28.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.04 MX$52.9
$2.86 Rp 51.2K
6.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 MX$76.1
$3.77 Rp 67.5K
15.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.42 MX$24.73
$1.72 Rp 30.8K
-17.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 MX$31.87
$2.43 Rp 43.4K
-24.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.45
$1.10 Rp 19.6K
48.18%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$44.20
$2.23 Rp 39.9K
13.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.57 MX$149
$13.66 Rp 244.5K
-37.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$148
$3.95 Rp 70.8K
114.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.80 MX$188
$11.24 Rp 201.2K
-3.91%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 MX$47.95
$3.63 Rp 64.9K
-24.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.00
$1.50 Rp 26.8K
-4.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 MX$32.84
$2.56 Rp 45.8K
-26.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.77
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
-3.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 MX$30.97
$1.83 Rp 32.8K
-2.73%
Onion (1kg)
$2.22 MX$38.71
$2.10 Rp 37.7K
5.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.60
$0.95 Rp 17.0K
12.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.79
$0.69 Rp 12.4K
56.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$72.2
$3.10 Rp 55.5K
33.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.45 MX$182
$22.63 Rp 405.2K
-53.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 MX$30.34
$2.76 Rp 49.4K
-36.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 MX$44.93
$2.72 Rp 48.8K
-5.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.94
$0.30 Rp 5,436
70.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.94 MX$452
$8.60 Rp 153.9K
201.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.21 MX$55.9
$0.47 Rp 8,397
582.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.50 MX$43.55
$0.48 Rp 8,575
420.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.19 MX$55.4
$6.51 Rp 116.6K
-51.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.87
$0.91 Rp 16.4K
38.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$516.7K
$27.2K Rp 487.0M
9.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$412.2K
$33.6K Rp 602.0M
-29.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,428
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
4.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.73 MX$396
$4.11 Rp 73.5K
453.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.42 MX$512
$23.76 Rp 425.5K
23.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 MX$908
$90.3 Rp 1.6M
-42.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.45 MX$321
$5.85 Rp 104.8K
215.38%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$85.9
$3.83 Rp 68.6K
28.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$202 MX$3,512
$286 Rp 5.1M
-29.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,217 MX$90.8K
$6,217 Rp 111.3M
-16.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.93 MX$625
$52.0 Rp 930.2K
-30.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$702
$36.80 Rp 658.8K
9.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,390
$85.2 Rp 1.5M
-6.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,554
$73.9 Rp 1.3M
20.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$948 MX$16.5K
$962 Rp 17.2M
-1.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,098
$638 Rp 11.4M
-27.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,630 MX$28.4K
$3,241 Rp 58.0M
-49.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,193 MX$20.8K
$1,975 Rp 35.4M
-39.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,933 MX$68.5K
$2,691 Rp 48.2M
46.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,428 MX$111.9K
$2,180 Rp 39.0M
194.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$658 MX$11.5K
-
-
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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Jimbaran, Bali: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $962 in Jimbaran, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $31.00 in Jimbaran, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $284, 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 Jimbaran, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jimbaran, Bali cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,888 in Playa del Carmen and $2,056 in Jimbaran, 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.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Jimbaran, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $962 in Jimbaran, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $286 in Jimbaran, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Jimbaran, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Jimbaran, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Jimbaran, Bali?
At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,371 in Jimbaran, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Jimbaran, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Jimbaran, Bali more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jimbaran, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Jimbaran, Bali?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Jimbaran, 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Jimbaran, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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