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: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,348 in Jimbaran, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,423 in Jimbaran, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,497 in Jimbaran, Bali.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 6% 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 1% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67 MX$202
$3.43 Rpย 58.7K
240.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88 MX$725
$31.68 Rpย 542.6K
32.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.40 MX$180
$4.85 Rpย 83.1K
114.43%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.6
$2.61 Rpย 44.8K
38.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.44
$1.28 Rpย 22.0K
14.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.79
$0.66 Rpย 11.3K
37.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.5
$2.90 Rpย 49.7K
4.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 MX$77.4
$3.74 Rpย 64.1K
19.52%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.82
$1.71 Rpย 29.3K
-19.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.91
$2.41 Rpย 41.3K
-23.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.80
$1.14 Rpย 19.5K
41.23%
Eggs
$2.57 MX$44.49
$2.27 Rpย 39.0K
13.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$13.67 Rpย 234.2K
-37.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$4.06 Rpย 69.5K
109.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.99 MX$190
$11.47 Rpย 196.5K
-4.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.23
$3.47 Rpย 59.5K
-21.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.90
$1.54 Rpย 26.4K
-2.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.91
$2.67 Rpย 45.7K
-26.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.68
$2.16 Rpย 37.0K
-1.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.28
$1.83 Rpย 31.4K
1.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.65
$2.20 Rpย 37.7K
-1.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.58
$1.02 Rpย 17.5K
4.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$18.17
$0.69 Rpย 11.9K
52.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.6
$3.03 Rpย 51.9K
38.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.28 MX$178
$22.26 Rpย 381.2K
-53.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.85
$2.62 Rpย 44.8K
-36.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 MX$43.09
$2.60 Rpย 44.5K
-4.23%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$0.28 Rpย 4,780
92.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.27 MX$455
$8.53 Rpย 146.1K
207.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 MX$53.8
$0.47 Rpย 8,120
559.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.64
$0.45 Rpย 7,622
446.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.0
$6.41 Rpย 109.8K
-49.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.82
$0.83 Rpย 14.2K
51.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$522.5K
$27.0K Rpย 462.6M
11.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$406.1K
$34.3K Rpย 587.7M
-31.67%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 MX$1,455
$79.0 Rpย 1.4M
6.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 MX$385
$4.06 Rpย 69.5K
447.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65 MX$514
$24.05 Rpย 411.9K
23.28%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 MX$912
$88.7 Rpย 1.5M
-40.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34 MX$318
$5.97 Rpย 102.2K
207.20%
Cinema Ticket
$4.95 MX$85.7
$3.62 Rpย 62.1K
36.74%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,436
$290 Rpย 5.0M
-31.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,322 MX$92.2K
$6,319 Rpย 108.2M
-15.79%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95 MX$623
$52.0 Rpย 889.7K
-30.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06 MX$694
$37.15 Rpย 636.2K
7.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,365
$83.0 Rpย 1.4M
-5.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,498
$72.4 Rpย 1.2M
19.47%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 MX$16.9K
$944 Rpย 16.2M
3.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 MX$8,153
$645 Rpย 11.0M
-26.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
$3,209 Rpย 55.0M
-50.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 MX$21.0K
$2,009 Rpย 34.4M
-39.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,032 MX$69.8K
$2,935 Rpย 50.3M
37.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,579 MX$113.9K
$2,269 Rpย 38.9M
189.90%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Jimbaran, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$714 MX$12.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
13.28
-14.01%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Jimbaran, Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $944 in Jimbaran, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42 in Playa del Carmen vs $32 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 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,891 in Playa del Carmen and $2,023 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: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $944 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 $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $290 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 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 Playa del Carmen or Jimbaran, Bali?
At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,348 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 โ€“ expenses run 7% 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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