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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $618 in Palangkaraya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $982 in Palangkaraya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,347 in Palangkaraya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 105% more than Palangkaraya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Palangkaraya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Palangkaraya 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.39 Rp 24.7K

734.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$13.63 Rp 241.3K

245.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.63 Rp 64.3K

227.27%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

163.58%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.45 Rp 8,021

217.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.20 Rp 3,533

310.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.38 Rp 42.2K

34.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.97 Rp 70.2K

71.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.17 Rp 20.8K

43.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.09 Rp 19.3K

101.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.89 Rp 15.8K

92.13%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.45 Rp 25.6K

88.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.39 Rp 130.9K

29.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.19 Rp 38.8K

311.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.76 Rp 119.8K

89.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.25 Rp 39.9K

28.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.71 Rp 30.3K

-12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.77 Rp 31.3K

21.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

140.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.22 Rp 21.7K

62.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

70.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.43 Rp 7,587

179.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.74 Rp 48.5K

66.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$18.07 Rp 320.0K

-42.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.88 Rp 33.2K

-13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.41 Rp 60.4K

-15.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.28 Rp 4,918

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.48 Rp 8,503

1022.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.32 Rp 5,734

1065.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

128.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

133.33%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.6K Rp 417.1M

-4.27%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$27.7K Rp 489.7M

-5.78%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$66.0 Rp 1.2M

38.50%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$4.50 Rp 79.7K

460.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$19.18 Rp 339.7K

62.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$5.56 Rp 98.5K

1108.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$7.56 Rp 133.9K

285.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$2.52 Rp 44.6K

92.86%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$105 Rp 1.9M

112.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$8,638 Rp 152.9M

-51.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$44.06 Rp 780.2K

6.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$31.24 Rp 553.2K

41.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$80.6 Rp 1.4M

-0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$245 Rp 4.3M

332.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$134 Rp 2.4M

191.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$588 Rp 10.4M

265.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$407 Rp 7.2M

212.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,299 Rp 23.0M

207.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$681 Rp 12.1M

854.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Palangkaraya: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $245 in Palangkaraya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Palangkaraya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $187 – making Palangkaraya 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 Palangkaraya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 105% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $926 in Palangkaraya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $618 in Palangkaraya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $105 in Palangkaraya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palangkaraya, where all-in costs run around $618, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Palangkaraya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Palangkaraya costs $618 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.