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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $735 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,309 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,884 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 75% more than Kuta, Lombok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kuta, Lombok are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Kuta, Lombok 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.71 Rp 29.6K

598.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$16.02 Rp 277.7K

166.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$2.43 Rp 42.1K

335.80%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.41 Rp 24.4K

156.74%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.67 Rp 11.6K

119.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.37 Rp 6,426

154.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.44 Rp 24.9K

114.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.00 Rp 34.6K

123.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.16 Rp 20.0K

23.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.68 Rp 29.2K

11.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

111.69%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.58 Rp 27.4K

67.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.69 Rp 168.0K

-15.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.82 Rp 48.8K

193.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.79 Rp 135.0K

42.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.45 Rp 42.5K

8.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.04 Rp 18.0K

44.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.83 Rp 31.7K

8.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

37.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

34.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.52 Rp 26.4K

43.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.68 Rp 11.7K

58.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.48 Rp 8,355

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.13 Rp 37.0K

86.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$15.75 Rp 272.9K

-35.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.84 Rp 31.9K

-5.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.85 Rp 32.1K

35.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.20 Rp 3,462

160.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$5.51 Rp 95.5K

389.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.32 Rp 5,570

881.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.28 Rp 4,839

757.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.96 Rp 68.6K

-21.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.57 Rp 9,793

122.81%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$17.3K Rp 299.8M

78.51%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.8K Rp 361.0M

11.93%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$59.0 Rp 1.0M

39.07%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$2.97 Rp 51.5K

655.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$18.18 Rp 315.1K

63.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$53.6 Rp 928.2K

-3.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$3.41 Rp 59.2K

447.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

126.94%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$187 Rp 3.2M

5.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,210 Rp 73.0M

25.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$41.46 Rp 718.7K

-12.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$29.52 Rp 511.7K

35.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$67.5 Rp 1.2M

18.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$59.5 Rp 1.0M

49.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$392 Rp 6.8M

145.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$261 Rp 4.5M

78.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,348 Rp 23.4M

18.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$820 Rp 14.2M

47.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,173 Rp 20.3M

235.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$932 Rp 16.2M

591.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 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 25, 2026

Last update for Kuta, Lombok: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $392 in Kuta, Lombok. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Kuta, Lombok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $198 – making Kuta, Lombok 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 Kuta, Lombok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 75% more than Kuta, Lombok, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,103 in Kuta, Lombok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuta, Lombok, 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 $16.00 in Kuta, Lombok. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $735 in Kuta, Lombok. 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, Lombok, where all-in costs run around $735, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Kuta, Lombok 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, Lombok costs $735 versus $1,287 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 Kuta, Lombok. 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.