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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $454 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $830 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,205 in Karawang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 187% more than Karawang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Karawang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Karawang 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

766.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$11.27 Rp 198.4K

320.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$3.48 Rp 61.3K

237.64%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.54 Rp 27.1K

167.53%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.44 Rp 7,686

218.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.22 Rp 3,874

313.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.15 Rp 55.5K

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

132.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.10 Rp 19.3K

52.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.99 Rp 17.5K

117.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.82 Rp 14.5K

115.85%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.43 Rp 25.3K

97.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$2.75 Rp 48.4K

234.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.90 Rp 51.0K

218.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.83 Rp 137.8K

61.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.85 Rp 32.6K

59.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.04 Rp 18.3K

51.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.28 Rp 22.6K

73.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.52 Rp 9,198

353.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.97 Rp 17.1K

105.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.58 Rp 27.8K

25.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.67 Rp 11.7K

85.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.44 Rp 7,702

175.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

64.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$22.16 Rp 390.1K

-52.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

-9.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.24 Rp 57.1K

-14.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.59 Rp 10.4K

1.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

509.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.53 Rp 9,298

588.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$1.14 Rp 20.1K

407.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.78 Rp 13.7K

97.44%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$21.1K Rp 371.8M

7.99%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$28.7K Rp 505.9M

-10.16%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$33.67 Rp 592.8K

169.29%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$4.45 Rp 78.4K

466.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$12.80 Rp 225.3K

148.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$20.43 Rp 359.7K

236.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$8.71 Rp 153.3K

237.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$2.77 Rp 48.8K

75.45%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$44.35 Rp 780.8K

408.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,466 Rp 149.0M

-50.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$17.04 Rp 300.0K

178.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$28.73 Rp 505.9K

51.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$50.3 Rp 885.5K

59.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$48.96 Rp 861.9K

86.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$142 Rp 2.5M

663.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$71.5 Rp 1.3M

471.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$558 Rp 9.8M

253.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$372 Rp 6.6M

244.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,185 Rp 20.9M

241.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$675 Rp 11.9M

893.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$415 Rp 7.3M

86.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.38

0.62%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Karawang: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $142 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 86% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Karawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $174 – 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 187% 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $681 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $454 in Karawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $44.35 in Karawang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $454, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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 $454 versus $1,305 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.