Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Malang

For one person, living is cheaper in Malang: $474 a month against $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Malang
Learn more

Malang Living Index

Jump to prices

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Malang

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$474

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Malang

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Malang actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,210 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $474 in Malang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,210
Malang $474

A couple spends around $2,113 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $729 in Malang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,113
Malang $729

A family of three spends $3,016 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $984 in Malang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $3,016
Malang $984

Playa del Carmen costs about 155% more than Malang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Malang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 10% lower, Malang 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 MX$198

$1.11 Rp 19.9K

869.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.03 MX$792

$11.07 Rp 199.2K

288.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 MX$217

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

327.17%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$71.1

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

188.81%

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

$1.37 MX$25.18

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

128.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MX$15.38

$0.23 Rp 4,146

265.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.10 MX$57.0

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

35.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MX$93.2

$4.25 Rp 76.6K

19.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.43

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 MX$41.05

$1.12 Rp 20.2K

99.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$27.05

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

75.00%

Eggs

$2.53 MX$46.51

$1.24 Rp 22.4K

104.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 MX$134

$5.89 Rp 106.0K

23.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 MX$145

$3.09 Rp 55.6K

154.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 MX$235

$7.20 Rp 129.7K

77.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$53.4

$2.02 Rp 36.3K

43.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.41

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

13.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$46.87

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

61.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$37.86

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

44.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$36.81

$1.30 Rp 23.4K

53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.91

$1.92 Rp 34.6K

4.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$21.92

$0.47 Rp 8,439

153.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$23.12

$0.42 Rp 7,580

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MX$81.0

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

66.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 MX$176

$12.47 Rp 224.5K

-23.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.29

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

-4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$51.7

$3.00 Rp 53.9K

-6.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$10.42

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MX$512

$5.61 Rp 100.9K

395.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MX$91.7

$0.48 Rp 8,631

937.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$64.4

$0.40 Rp 7,244

775.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MX$99.4

$5.45 Rp 98.1K

-0.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$26.96

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

98.65%

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

$21.0K MX$386.1K

$24.9K Rp 448.9M

-15.86%

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

$23.9K MX$439.9K

$27.7K Rp 498.8M

-13.73%

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

$84.2 MX$1,549

$30.83 Rp 555.0K

173.14%

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

$23.99 MX$441

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

895.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.02 MX$534

$19.51 Rp 351.1K

48.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 MX$1,159

$14.68 Rp 264.3K

329.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$536

$4.47 Rp 80.5K

551.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MX$90.9

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

157.29%

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

$204 MX$3,746

$30.88 Rp 555.9K

559.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,941 MX$72.5K

$9,452 Rp 170.1M

-58.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.60 MX$802

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

-22.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 MX$793

$22.41 Rp 403.4K

92.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 MX$1,394

$51.9 Rp 934.9K

45.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 MX$1,630

$35.74 Rp 643.3K

147.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 MX$18.6K

$136 Rp 2.5M

640.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 MX$6,881

$91.5 Rp 1.6M

308.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.4K

$193 Rp 3.5M

784.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 MX$20.4K

$156 Rp 2.8M

606.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 MX$72.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,169 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 MX$13.9K

$203 Rp 3.7M

270.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

186.25%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Last update for Malang: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9%

Malang

$92 19.3% 75.5% $282

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4%

Malang

$169 35.7% 34.5% $89

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7%

Malang

$56 11.9% 72.1% $146

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3%

Malang

$53 11.1% 61.6% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3%

Malang

$75 15.8% 33.7% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$73 6%

Malang

$19 3.9% 74.6% $54

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3%

Malang

$10 2.2% 80.1% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in Playa del Carmen versus $136 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 271% 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 $11.00 in Malang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $169 – making Malang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇮🇩 Malang

🕒 Local time

22:29 10:29 PM

10:29 10:29 AM

12 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

857,891

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.44 USD

100 MXN = 4.83 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18.4 MXN (100 MXN = 5.44 USD). 1 EUR = 20.72 MXN (100 MXN = 4.83 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,268 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Malang 17,470 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Malang

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 155%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,816 per month in Playa del Carmen and $711 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 396% less in Malang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $204 per month in Playa del Carmen and $30.88 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 $474, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,210. 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.