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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $657 in Palembang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,031 in Palembang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,404 in Palembang.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 97% more expensive than Palembang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Palembang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

877.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$17.59 Rp 314.1K

136.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.14 Rp 56.0K

238.85%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.40 Rp 25.0K

151.43%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.97 Rp 17.4K

55.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.28 Rp 5,004

246.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.83 Rp 32.7K

61.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.59 Rp 64.2K

23.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.31 Rp 23.4K

5.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

62.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.41 Rp 25.1K

16.31%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

109.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.99 Rp 142.6K

4.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

166.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.70 Rp 155.3K

23.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

8.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.44 Rp 25.7K

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

0.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.49 Rp 26.6K

39.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

28.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.93 Rp 34.5K

13.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.50 Rp 8,973

116.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.44 Rp 43.6K

67.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$21.68 Rp 387.2K

-52.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.02 Rp 36.0K

-15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.16 Rp 56.5K

-18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.47 Rp 8,466

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$9.74 Rp 173.9K

171.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.52 Rp 9,363

526.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.37 Rp 6,685

572.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.96 Rp 52.8K

9.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

74.67%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$24.3K Rp 433.2M

24.81%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$28.1K Rp 502.5M

-16.74%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$69.8 Rp 1.2M

18.74%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$4.23 Rp 75.6K

425.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$23.64 Rp 422.1K

24.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$23.44 Rp 418.6K

120.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$6.00 Rp 107.1K

205.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.04 Rp 54.3K

66.78%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$92.3 Rp 1.6M

117.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,546 Rp 134.8M

-30.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$42.12 Rp 752.2K

-12.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$31.14 Rp 556.1K

27.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

16.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

18.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$257 Rp 4.6M

278.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$157 Rp 2.8M

198.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$584 Rp 10.4M

181.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$331 Rp 5.9M

268.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,346 Rp 24.0M

193.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$783 Rp 14.0M

729.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$309 Rp 5.5M

114.72%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Palembang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $257 in Palembang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 115% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $18.00 in Palembang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $214 per month, with Palembang 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 Palembang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palembang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 115% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $257 in Palembang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $657 in Palembang – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Palembang runs roughly 172% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $657 in Palembang versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Palembang but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Palembang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Palembang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Palembang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.