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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $681 in Pekanbaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $976 in Pekanbaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,271 in Pekanbaru.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 85% more expensive than in Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Pekanbaru 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

651.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$8.81 Rp 159.0K

375.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.52 Rp 45.5K

317.06%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

152.82%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.47 Rp 8,461

221.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.24 Rp 4,294

283.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.12 Rp 38.2K

39.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.42 Rp 61.8K

28.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.20 Rp 21.7K

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

57.58%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

52.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$17.23 Rp 311.0K

-51.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.66 Rp 48.1K

213.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.32 Rp 186.3K

5.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.91 Rp 52.5K

-6.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

-9.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.01 Rp 36.2K

-6.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

132.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.96 Rp 17.3K

93.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.65 Rp 29.8K

35.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

-29.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.45 Rp 8,093

142.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.21 Rp 39.9K

89.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$20.20 Rp 364.6K

-48.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.81 Rp 50.7K

-40.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.97 Rp 71.7K

-34.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.29 Rp 5,322

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$9.47 Rp 171.0K

176.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.90 Rp 16.3K

242.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.43 Rp 7,836

458.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.11 Rp 38.1K

48.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

59.76%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$23.3K Rp 420.2M

28.05%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$25.2K Rp 455.6M

-7.58%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$68.8 Rp 1.2M

18.12%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$6.87 Rp 124.1K

228.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$28.06 Rp 506.5K

7.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$22.59 Rp 407.8K

134.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$12.18 Rp 219.8K

50.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.15 Rp 56.9K

56.19%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$175 Rp 3.2M

14.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,107 Rp 56.1M

66.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$34.10 Rp 615.6K

5.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$37.47 Rp 676.4K

7.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$64.7 Rp 1.2M

23.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$74.6 Rp 1.3M

15.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$254 Rp 4.6M

284.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$122 Rp 2.2M

286.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$918 Rp 16.6M

79.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$156 Rp 2.8M

672.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,072 Rp 19.3M

268.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$679 Rp 12.3M

872.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$187 Rp 3.4M

262.22%

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 Pekanbaru: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $254 in Pekanbaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 262% 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 $9.00 in Pekanbaru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $250 per month, with Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pekanbaru is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 262% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $254 in Pekanbaru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pekanbaru – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $681 in Pekanbaru – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $681 in Pekanbaru versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pekanbaru but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Pekanbaru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.