😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $656 in Palangkaraya, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,008 in Palangkaraya, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,360 in Palangkaraya, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Palangkaraya, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Palangkaraya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Palangkaraya51% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Palangkaraya
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$1.52Rp 26.2K
685.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$12.34Rp 213.1K
246.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$4.03Rp 69.6K
162.78%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$1.71Rp 29.5K
111.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$0.56Rp 9,652
162.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.30Rp 5,173
213.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$2.83Rp 48.9K
9.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$3.56Rp 61.5K
25.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Palangkaraya
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.26Rp 21.8K
13.49%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$1.35Rp 23.3K
39.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$0.88Rp 15.1K
85.23%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$1.56Rp 27.0K
69.23%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$8.19Rp 141.4K
0.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$2.46Rp 42.4K
236.99%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$7.82Rp 135.1K
41.94%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$2.40Rp 41.5K
10.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$1.92Rp 33.1K
-21.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$1.82Rp 31.4K
9.34%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$1.09Rp 18.9K
90.83%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$1.34Rp 23.1K
33.58%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$3.11Rp 53.7K
-29.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$0.59Rp 10.2K
83.05%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.48Rp 8,225
116.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$1.87Rp 32.2K
112.30%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$23.64Rp 408.2K
-56.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$2.04Rp 35.1K
-15.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$3.06Rp 52.9K
-18.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Palangkaraya
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$0.33Rp 5,617
57.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
$9.68Rp 167.1K
178.62%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$0.53Rp 9,171
492.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$0.35Rp 5,983
585.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$2.84Rp 49.0K
8.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$0.72Rp 12.4K
76.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$24.8KRp 428.1M
24.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$27.2KRp 470.3M
-14.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Palangkaraya
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$70.6Rp 1.2M
16.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$4.35Rp 75.2K
416.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$18.64Rp 321.9K
59.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Palangkaraya
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$6.04Rp 104.3K
758.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
$6.18Rp 106.7K
202.10%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$3.09Rp 53.4K
60.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Palangkaraya
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$94.2Rp 1.6M
109.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$7,596Rp 131.1M
-30.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Palangkaraya
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$41.41Rp 715.0K
-12.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$30.25Rp 522.4K
32.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$67.8Rp 1.2M
17.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$72.7Rp 1.3M
22.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Palangkaraya
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$261Rp 4.5M
269.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$160Rp 2.8M
190.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$593Rp 10.2M
169.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$336Rp 5.8M
260.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
$1,140Rp 19.7M
245.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
$770Rp 13.3M
737.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Palangkaraya
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
$166Rp 2.9M
333.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
9.15
24.81%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Palangkaraya: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 in Palangkaraya. 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 333% 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 Palangkaraya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $214 – making Palangkaraya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Palangkaraya: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Palangkaraya?
Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Palangkaraya, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Palangkaraya?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $985 in Palangkaraya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Palangkaraya?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Palangkaraya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Palangkaraya?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $94.2 in Palangkaraya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Palangkaraya?
Groceries cost about 17% 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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Palangkaraya?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palangkaraya, where all-in costs run around $656, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Palangkaraya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Palangkaraya?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Palangkaraya costs $656 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or Palangkaraya?
If budget matters most, go with Palangkaraya. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado