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 $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $563 in Magelang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $870 in Magelang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,177 in Magelang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 124% 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

$11.95 MX$209

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

686.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$734

$9.42 Rp 168.9K

345.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

255.63%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.5

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

294.38%

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

$1.52 MX$26.53

$0.36 Rp 6,399

322.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.93

$0.19 Rp 3,337

378.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.2

$1.49 Rp 26.6K

104.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.5

$2.94 Rp 52.6K

48.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.86

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

23.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$32.03

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.60

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

87.36%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.43

$1.49 Rp 26.8K

70.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

$7.29 Rp 130.8K

17.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$149

$2.56 Rp 46.0K

231.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

$7.82 Rp 140.2K

38.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.19

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

20.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.13

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

15.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.00

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

41.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.96

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

112.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.13

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

66.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.91

$1.49 Rp 26.8K

48.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

30.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.89

$0.39 Rp 7,011

176.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$2.52 Rp 45.2K

64.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

$16.77 Rp 300.8K

-37.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.50

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.16

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.98

$0.30 Rp 5,376

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$454

$9.91 Rp 177.7K

161.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.2

$0.45 Rp 8,066

613.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.78

$0.31 Rp 5,563

706.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.7

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

30.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.98

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

61.54%

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

$29.7K MX$519.3K

$28.5K Rp 510.4M

4.33%

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

$23.7K MX$414.3K

$31.0K Rp 556.4M

-23.65%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$51.7 Rp 926.6K

58.79%

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

$22.73 MX$398

$4.20 Rp 75.3K

441.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$515

$19.49 Rp 349.5K

50.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$913

$15.07 Rp 270.2K

246.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$323

$4.08 Rp 73.2K

352.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.3

$2.70 Rp 48.5K

82.59%

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

$202 MX$3,530

$49.14 Rp 881.3K

310.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.3K

$4,375 Rp 78.5M

19.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$629

$21.79 Rp 390.8K

64.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$706

$21.47 Rp 385.1K

87.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,397

$64.2 Rp 1.2M

24.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,562

$58.3 Rp 1.0M

53.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

$263 Rp 4.7M

260.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,140

$155 Rp 2.8M

200.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

$580 Rp 10.4M

181.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.9K

$334 Rp 6.0M

257.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.8K

$1,154 Rp 20.7M

240.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.4K

$696 Rp 12.5M

823.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$177 Rp 3.2M

272.26%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Magelang: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 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 272% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $9.00 in Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $182 – 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: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, $563 in Magelang – roughly 124% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $844 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 39% 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 $563, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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 $563 in Magelang to $1,259 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.