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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $503 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $756 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,008 in Karawang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 150% more than Karawang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Karawang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Karawang 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

844.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$9.27 Rp 166.6K

350.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.47 Rp 62.3K

209.80%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

133.33%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.45 Rp 8,085

222.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.22 Rp 3,947

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.43 Rp 61.7K

-13.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.61 Rp 64.9K

24.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

71.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

76.40%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

59.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.10 Rp 55.8K

167.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.01 Rp 54.1K

180.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.74 Rp 139.1K

37.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.99 Rp 35.8K

31.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

21.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

41.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

260.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

85.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

30.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.97 Rp 17.4K

6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.46 Rp 8,179

132.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.56 Rp 46.0K

60.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$22.30 Rp 400.7K

-54.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.06 Rp 37.0K

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.54 Rp 63.6K

-28.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

-28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$9.74 Rp 175.0K

167.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.75 Rp 13.6K

330.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.75 Rp 13.6K

221.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

169.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

69.23%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.5K Rp 440.4M

21.19%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$26.4K Rp 474.6M

-10.41%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$44.55 Rp 800.6K

84.09%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$4.49 Rp 80.8K

411.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$13.77 Rp 247.4K

118.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$22.40 Rp 402.5K

132.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$5.82 Rp 104.7K

218.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.09 Rp 55.5K

61.17%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$46.82 Rp 841.5K

321.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,515 Rp 135.1M

-28.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$18.61 Rp 334.4K

91.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.34 Rp 545.2K

32.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$54.4 Rp 977.1K

44.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$54.3 Rp 976.2K

63.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$151 Rp 2.7M

527.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$77.7 Rp 1.4M

510.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$241 Rp 4.3M

581.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$121 Rp 2.2M

899.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,147 Rp 20.6M

253.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$683 Rp 12.3M

846.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$397 Rp 7.1M

64.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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 Karawang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $151 in Karawang. 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 65% 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 $9.00 in Karawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $183 – making Karawang 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 Karawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 150% more than Karawang, 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 $755 in Karawang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $9.00 in Karawang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $503 in Karawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $503, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Karawang 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. Karawang costs $503 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Karawang. 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.