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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $569 in Magelang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $884 in Magelang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,198 in Magelang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 121% more than Magelang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Magelang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Magelang 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$1.56 Rp 26.8K

648.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$9.44 Rp 162.2K

343.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$2.93 Rp 50.4K

254.95%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$0.84 Rp 14.4K

329.76%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.38 Rp 6,592

286.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.18 Rp 3,141

405.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.48 Rp 25.5K

104.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.95 Rp 50.7K

51.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.15 Rp 19.7K

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.20 Rp 20.6K

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.89 Rp 15.2K

80.90%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.48 Rp 25.5K

73.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.46 Rp 128.2K

13.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$2.57 Rp 44.1K

230.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.71 Rp 132.5K

42.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.19 Rp 37.6K

24.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.28 Rp 22.0K

17.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.39 Rp 24.0K

41.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

118.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.12 Rp 19.3K

66.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.44 Rp 24.7K

50.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

18.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.37 Rp 6,323

183.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$2.52 Rp 43.4K

66.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$17.60 Rp 302.5K

-41.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.66 Rp 28.5K

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.28 Rp 39.2K

9.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.33 Rp 5,594

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$9.86 Rp 169.4K

166.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.45 Rp 7,685

588.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.31 Rp 5,359

693.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$2.39 Rp 41.0K

35.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.84 Rp 14.4K

50.00%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$28.5K Rp 490.5M

5.69%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$31.7K Rp 543.9M

-25.93%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$50.5 Rp 867.6K

66.35%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$4.19 Rp 72.0K

430.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$19.64 Rp 337.5K

50.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$15.31 Rp 263.0K

243.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$4.04 Rp 69.5K

353.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$2.77 Rp 47.6K

78.70%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$49.23 Rp 846.0K

302.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$4,370 Rp 75.1M

21.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$21.56 Rp 370.6K

66.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$21.62 Rp 371.5K

85.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

25.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$59.2 Rp 1.0M

46.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$263 Rp 4.5M

271.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$156 Rp 2.7M

201.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$587 Rp 10.1M

171.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$337 Rp 5.8M

259.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,240 Rp 21.3M

225.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$763 Rp 13.1M

762.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$179 Rp 3.1M

298.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.33

37.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Magelang: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $263 in Magelang. 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 298% 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $9 in Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $183 – making Magelang 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 Magelang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, $569 in Magelang – roughly 121% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $854 in Magelang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 38% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

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

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Magelang, where all-in costs run around $569, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Magelang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $569 in Magelang to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Magelang. 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.