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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $661 in Palembang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,043 in Palembang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,426 in Palembang.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 90% more expensive than in Palembang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Palembang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

899.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$17.90 Rp 321.6K

133.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.05 Rp 54.8K

252.46%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.40 Rp 25.2K

150.00%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

61.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.26 Rp 4,661

238.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

64.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.75 Rp 67.3K

20.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.31 Rp 23.5K

9.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.10 Rp 19.9K

67.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

13.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

97.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.96 Rp 143.1K

4.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.14 Rp 56.4K

168.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.48 Rp 152.5K

25.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

13.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.85 Rp 33.3K

5.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

33.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.37 Rp 24.6K

35.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.98 Rp 35.5K

9.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.97 Rp 17.4K

6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.50 Rp 9,044

114.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.42 Rp 43.5K

69.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$20.22 Rp 363.4K

-49.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.05 Rp 36.9K

-18.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.23 Rp 58.0K

-21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.48 Rp 8,676

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$9.59 Rp 172.4K

171.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

466.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.34 Rp 6,154

608.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.84 Rp 51.0K

13.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

73.68%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.8K Rp 446.4M

19.55%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$28.1K Rp 504.7M

-15.74%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$70.2 Rp 1.3M

16.87%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$4.18 Rp 75.1K

449.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$23.42 Rp 420.8K

28.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$22.79 Rp 409.5K

128.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$6.02 Rp 108.2K

207.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

67.11%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

109.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,485 Rp 134.5M

-28.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$41.82 Rp 751.5K

-14.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.61 Rp 550.0K

31.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

19.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

22.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$262 Rp 4.7M

261.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$158 Rp 2.8M

199.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$593 Rp 10.7M

177.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$328 Rp 5.9M

269.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$976 Rp 17.5M

315.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$601 Rp 10.8M

976.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$300 Rp 5.4M

117.73%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Palembang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $262 in Palembang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 118% 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 $210 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 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 118% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 in Palembang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $661 in Palembang – a 90% 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 $661 in Palembang versus $1,256 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 90% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.