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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,246 in Kuta, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,231 in Kuta, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,217 in Kuta, Bali, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% 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 3% lower, Kuta, Bali 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$3.16 Rp 56.9K

271.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$28.76 Rp 518.7K

44.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$4.46 Rp 80.4K

138.57%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.4

$2.40 Rp 43.3K

46.67%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$1.20 Rp 21.7K

25.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

49.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$2.56 Rp 46.2K

15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$3.35 Rp 60.3K

32.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

-16.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.03

$2.36 Rp 42.5K

-19.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

42.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$2.26 Rp 40.8K

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$14.02 Rp 252.9K

-40.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$4.03 Rp 72.7K

106.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$11.29 Rp 203.6K

-4.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.47

$3.51 Rp 63.3K

-25.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.54 Rp 27.9K

-5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$2.64 Rp 47.7K

-28.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$1.82 Rp 32.8K

-2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$2.09 Rp 37.7K

4.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$1.02 Rp 18.5K

1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

45.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$3.10 Rp 55.9K

31.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$22.84 Rp 411.8K

-54.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$2.68 Rp 48.3K

-36.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.97

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

-1.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.32 Rp 5,774

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$9.11 Rp 164.4K

190.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$0.54 Rp 9,741

503.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.50

$0.49 Rp 8,895

408.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$6.94 Rp 125.2K

-53.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

47.19%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$29.1K Rp 524.4M

4.14%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$35.4K Rp 639.0M

-33.87%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

3.72%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$3.94 Rp 71.0K

463.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$24.19 Rp 436.2K

21.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$86.5 Rp 1.6M

-40.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$5.74 Rp 103.5K

219.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$3.49 Rp 63.0K

45.27%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$276 Rp 5.0M

-27.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$6,031 Rp 108.8M

-13.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$54.8 Rp 988.5K

-32.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$38.07 Rp 686.6K

4.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$88.8 Rp 1.6M

-11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$76.3 Rp 1.4M

14.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$812 Rp 14.6M

19.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,168

$556 Rp 10.0M

-15.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$2,758 Rp 49.7M

-40.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$1,709 Rp 30.8M

-28.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$2,285 Rp 41.2M

72.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$1,870 Rp 33.7M

247.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kuta, Bali: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $812 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Kuta, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $285 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 4% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,868 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $29.00 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,246 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 $1,246, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $1,246 versus $1,297 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.