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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $466 in Malang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $739 in Malang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,013 in Malang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 176% more than Malang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Malang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Malang 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.26 Rp 21.8K

847.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$12.23 Rp 212.0K

249.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.09 Rp 53.6K

242.72%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.46 Rp 25.3K

147.95%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.62 Rp 10.8K

137.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.22 Rp 3,799

327.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.41 Rp 41.7K

28.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.99 Rp 51.9K

49.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.12 Rp 19.4K

27.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.45 Rp 25.1K

29.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.87 Rp 15.0K

87.36%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

77.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.40 Rp 110.9K

28.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.36 Rp 58.3K

146.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.26 Rp 125.9K

52.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.29 Rp 39.8K

15.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.73 Rp 30.1K

15.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.48 Rp 25.6K

40.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

33.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.81 Rp 31.4K

20.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.55 Rp 9,528

96.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.44 Rp 7,690

136.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.56 Rp 44.3K

55.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.97 Rp 224.9K

-21.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.79 Rp 31.0K

-3.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.33 Rp 57.6K

-24.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.62 Rp 10.8K

-16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$6.15 Rp 106.7K

338.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.47 Rp 8,214

568.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.31 Rp 5,410

674.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.09 Rp 105.5K

-49.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.83 Rp 14.4K

53.01%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.6K Rp 357.0M

49.92%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.3K Rp 472.7M

-14.51%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$34.15 Rp 591.9K

140.15%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$2.55 Rp 44.2K

780.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$19.25 Rp 333.7K

54.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$14.69 Rp 254.6K

253.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.06 Rp 87.8K

268.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.20 Rp 38.2K

125.91%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$33.37 Rp 578.3K

492.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$9,438 Rp 163.6M

-44.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$42.85 Rp 742.8K

-15.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$30.27 Rp 524.6K

32.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$59.5 Rp 1.0M

34.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

9.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$160 Rp 2.8M

501.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$48.52 Rp 840.9K

857.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$281 Rp 4.9M

468.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$91.6 Rp 1.6M

1219.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$209 Rp 3.6M

244.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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 Malang: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $160 in Malang. 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 245% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Malang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $184 – making Malang 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 Malang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 176%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $698 in Malang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 339% less in Malang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $33.37 in Malang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Malang, where all-in costs run around $466, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Malang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Malang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Malang. 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.