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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $626 in Mataram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $978 in Mataram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,330 in Mataram.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 109% more expensive than in Mataram, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Mataram 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.03 Rp 18.1K

1061.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$9.16 Rp 161.3K

417.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$3.28 Rp 57.7K

258.23%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.51 Rp 26.5K

172.85%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.45 Rp 7,983

211.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.33 Rp 5,825

175.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.71 Rp 47.6K

18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.43 Rp 60.4K

106.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.36 Rp 23.9K

23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.51 Rp 26.6K

42.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.87 Rp 15.3K

103.45%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.48 Rp 26.1K

90.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.52 Rp 132.4K

22.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.91 Rp 51.3K

217.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.60 Rp 133.8K

66.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

32.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.28 Rp 22.4K

23.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

26.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.23 Rp 21.6K

91.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.32 Rp 23.2K

50.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.01 Rp 35.3K

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.73 Rp 12.8K

69.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.41 Rp 7,177

195.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.78 Rp 48.9K

65.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$20.79 Rp 366.0K

-49.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.86 Rp 32.7K

-9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.02 Rp 53.1K

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.29 Rp 5,173

106.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.50 Rp 8,777

948.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.33 Rp 5,807

1006.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$2.88 Rp 50.6K

100.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

165.52%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$22.9K Rp 402.3M

-0.22%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$30.9K Rp 544.2M

-16.50%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$68.9 Rp 1.2M

31.56%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$4.02 Rp 70.8K

526.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$19.52 Rp 343.7K

62.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$20.37 Rp 358.7K

237.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$8.63 Rp 151.9K

240.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

74.19%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$94.1 Rp 1.7M

139.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,667 Rp 135.0M

-45.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$44.72 Rp 787.3K

5.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$29.49 Rp 519.3K

47.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

8.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

25.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$227 Rp 4.0M

377.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$137 Rp 2.4M

197.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$563 Rp 9.9M

250.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$370 Rp 6.5M

246.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,194 Rp 21.0M

238.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$662 Rp 11.6M

913.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$227 Rp 4.0M

240.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.46

21.04%

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 Mataram: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $227 in Mataram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 240% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $9.00 in Mataram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $203 per month, with Mataram cheaper across the board.

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 Mataram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Mataram differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $626 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 240% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $227 in Mataram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $626 in Mataram – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $626 in Mataram versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mataram but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mataram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.