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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $540 in Magelang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $856 in Magelang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,172 in Magelang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 142% more than Magelang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Magelang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Magelang 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$1.44 Rp 25.4K

730.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$801

$8.73 Rp 153.8K

442.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

336.80%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.7

$0.77 Rp 13.5K

435.06%

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

$1.40 MX$23.66

$0.33 Rp 5,739

324.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.43

$0.18 Rp 3,181

405.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.2

$1.35 Rp 23.7K

137.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.78 Rp 48.9K

154.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.35

$1.05 Rp 18.6K

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.36

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

93.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.00

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

118.52%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.60

$1.21 Rp 21.3K

133.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$6.86 Rp 120.8K

34.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$2.42 Rp 42.7K

281.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$6.90 Rp 121.5K

83.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.90

$2.10 Rp 37.0K

40.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.70

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

32.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.58

$1.28 Rp 22.5K

73.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.96

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

165.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.70

$1.02 Rp 18.0K

95.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.47

$1.39 Rp 24.5K

42.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.97

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

65.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.48

$0.36 Rp 6,394

236.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.8

$2.04 Rp 35.9K

125.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$16.88 Rp 297.2K

-37.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.60

$1.57 Rp 27.6K

7.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.91

$2.18 Rp 38.4K

27.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.19

$0.29 Rp 5,155

106.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

$8.37 Rp 147.4K

254.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.5

$0.43 Rp 7,561

1118.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.7

$0.35 Rp 6,183

942.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.8

$2.23 Rp 39.2K

159.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.01

$0.71 Rp 12.4K

116.90%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$25.7K Rp 452.9M

-11.32%

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

$25.8K MX$436.5K

$29.4K Rp 518.6M

-12.33%

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

$90.7 MX$1,533

$46.35 Rp 816.3K

95.62%

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

$25.19 MX$426

$3.94 Rp 69.3K

539.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$537

$19.82 Rp 349.1K

60.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,163

$13.96 Rp 245.9K

392.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$497

$3.66 Rp 64.4K

702.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.2

$2.58 Rp 45.5K

88.37%

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

$226 MX$3,816

$45.84 Rp 807.3K

392.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.9K

$3,894 Rp 68.6M

7.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$801

$20.07 Rp 353.4K

136.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$735

$19.83 Rp 349.3K

119.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,356

$58.5 Rp 1.0M

37.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,545

$53.3 Rp 938.8K

71.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$226 Rp 4.0M

380.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,910

$158 Rp 2.8M

157.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$561 Rp 9.9M

251.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$362 Rp 6.4M

254.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.4K

$1,184 Rp 20.9M

241.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.4K

$662 Rp 11.7M

913.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$180 Rp 3.2M

328.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.5

52.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Magelang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $226 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 329% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $9.00 in Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $170 – 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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $540 in Magelang – roughly 142% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $810 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 64% 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 $47.00 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 $540, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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 $540 in Magelang to $1,305 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.