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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $659 in Palangkaraya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,010 in Palangkaraya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,360 in Palangkaraya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 91% more than Palangkaraya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Palangkaraya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Palangkaraya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

686.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$12.13 Rp 218.9K

245.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

166.75%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.64 Rp 29.6K

118.90%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.55 Rp 9,884

174.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.30 Rp 5,366

206.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.73 Rp 49.4K

8.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.48 Rp 62.8K

26.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

15.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

40.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

77.27%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.52 Rp 27.5K

71.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.36 Rp 150.9K

-0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

246.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.88 Rp 142.2K

37.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

7.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.90 Rp 34.3K

-20.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

0.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.10 Rp 19.9K

99.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.33 Rp 24.1K

39.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

-28.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.59 Rp 10.7K

81.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.45 Rp 8,063

142.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

131.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$20.46 Rp 369.4K

-49.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.12 Rp 38.3K

-21.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.10 Rp 56.0K

-15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.30 Rp 5,354

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$10.12 Rp 182.8K

158.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

450.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.35 Rp 6,254

585.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.91 Rp 52.5K

7.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.72 Rp 13.1K

81.94%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$24.9K Rp 449.3M

19.78%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.4K Rp 495.3M

-14.99%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$68.8 Rp 1.2M

18.07%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

415.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$19.19 Rp 346.4K

56.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$6.32 Rp 114.1K

737.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$6.26 Rp 113.0K

193.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.03 Rp 54.8K

62.38%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

111.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$7,558 Rp 136.4M

-31.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$40.89 Rp 738.3K

-12.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.20 Rp 545.2K

32.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

18.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$73.9 Rp 1.3M

17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$257 Rp 4.6M

280.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$157 Rp 2.8M

199.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$588 Rp 10.6M

180.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$329 Rp 5.9M

265.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,000 Rp 18.0M

295.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$681 Rp 12.3M

870.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$162 Rp 2.9M

317.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Palangkaraya: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $257 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 317% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Palangkaraya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $209 – 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 91% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $989 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.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $95.1 in Palangkaraya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palangkaraya, where all-in costs run around $659, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $659 versus $1,260 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.