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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,240 in Kuta, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,243 in Kuta, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,246 in Kuta, Bali, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Kuta, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kuta, Bali are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kuta, Bali 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$3.06 Rp 52.4K

279.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$740

$27.99 Rp 479.7K

52.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$4.25 Rp 72.8K

149.41%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.2

$2.36 Rp 40.4K

52.12%

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

$1.45 MX$25.15

$1.22 Rp 21.0K

18.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.55

$0.65 Rp 11.1K

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$2.66 Rp 45.5K

13.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.0

$3.48 Rp 59.6K

31.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.14

$1.65 Rp 28.3K

-12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.64

$2.31 Rp 39.6K

-20.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.85

$1.09 Rp 18.7K

47.71%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.95

$2.36 Rp 40.4K

7.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$14.17 Rp 242.7K

-39.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$3.95 Rp 67.7K

114.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.34 Rp 194.3K

-4.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.26

$3.53 Rp 60.5K

-22.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.85

$1.52 Rp 26.1K

-1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.65

$2.69 Rp 46.0K

-27.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.49

$2.15 Rp 36.8K

0.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$31.97

$1.83 Rp 31.3K

1.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.91

$2.16 Rp 37.0K

1.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$1.03 Rp 17.6K

3.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$0.69 Rp 11.8K

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.3

$3.02 Rp 51.8K

34.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$181

$22.17 Rp 379.9K

-52.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.64

$2.74 Rp 47.0K

-39.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.13

$2.71 Rp 46.5K

-5.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.32 Rp 5,517

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$454

$9.00 Rp 154.2K

191.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$0.54 Rp 9,198

481.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.08

$0.50 Rp 8,493

374.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$6.78 Rp 116.2K

-52.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$0.94 Rp 16.1K

39.36%

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

$30.5K MX$528.9K

$29.1K Rp 499.4M

4.79%

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

$23.8K MX$412.6K

$35.8K Rp 613.1M

-33.42%

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

$83.1 MX$1,440

$81.0 Rp 1.4M

2.65%

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

$22.15 MX$384

$3.96 Rp 67.9K

459.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$509

$23.50 Rp 402.7K

24.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$887

$84.4 Rp 1.4M

-39.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

$5.57 Rp 95.5K

235.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.7

$3.65 Rp 62.5K

33.97%

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

$199 MX$3,441

$277 Rp 4.7M

-28.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.2K

$5,904 Rp 101.2M

-11.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$622

$53.6 Rp 918.1K

-32.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$682

$39.01 Rp 668.5K

0.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,391

$86.7 Rp 1.5M

-7.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,517

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

10.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$828 Rp 14.2M

16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,350

$562 Rp 9.6M

-14.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.5K

$2,798 Rp 47.9M

-41.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.6K

$1,712 Rp 29.3M

-30.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.5K

$2,445 Rp 41.9M

61.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$112.8K

$1,976 Rp 33.9M

229.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Kuta, Bali: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $828 in Kuta, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $28 in Kuta, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Playa del Carmen vs $284 in Kuta, Bali – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kuta, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Kuta, Bali, 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 $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,860 in Kuta, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuta, Bali, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $28.00 in Kuta, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $1,240 in Kuta, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kuta, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,240, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. In Kuta, Bali 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. Kuta, Bali costs $1,240 versus $1,262 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 Kuta, Bali. 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.