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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $631 in Purwokerto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $960 in Purwokerto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,289 in Purwokerto, rent included.

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

Both Playa del Carmen and Purwokerto are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Purwokerto 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

802.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$9.15 Rp 162.0K

356.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$3.41 Rp 60.4K

205.28%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

161.59%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.36 Rp 6,358

305.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.19 Rp 3,331

410.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

67.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.64 Rp 64.4K

26.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

16.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

75.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

93.83%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

73.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$8.92 Rp 158.0K

-5.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.12 Rp 55.4K

175.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$7.93 Rp 140.5K

38.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

16.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

12.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

12.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.60 Rp 28.4K

35.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

27.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.57 Rp 45.5K

-13.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.98 Rp 17.3K

10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.32 Rp 5,694

234.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.49 Rp 44.1K

67.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$21.60 Rp 382.7K

-52.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.05 Rp 36.4K

-18.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

-29.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.26 Rp 4,619

111.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$9.78 Rp 173.3K

168.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.72 Rp 12.7K

344.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

223.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.47 Rp 43.8K

29.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.64 Rp 11.3K

106.25%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$24.7K Rp 437.9M

21.99%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$25.8K Rp 457.5M

-9.40%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$43.92 Rp 778.0K

85.22%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

393.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$22.43 Rp 397.3K

33.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$18.11 Rp 320.9K

184.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$6.27 Rp 111.0K

193.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$2.79 Rp 49.5K

84.95%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$93.7 Rp 1.7M

115.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$7,626 Rp 135.1M

-30.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$42.21 Rp 747.7K

-15.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$31.09 Rp 550.7K

29.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$59.8 Rp 1.1M

31.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$65.2 Rp 1.2M

33.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$260 Rp 4.6M

265.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$155 Rp 2.7M

208.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$584 Rp 10.3M

177.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$334 Rp 5.9M

265.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,427 Rp 25.3M

180.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$280 Rp 5.0M

2208.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$122 Rp 2.2M

453.44%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Purwokerto: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $260 in Purwokerto. 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 453% 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 $9.00 in Purwokerto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $211 – making Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 105%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $947 in Purwokerto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Purwokerto, 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $631 in Purwokerto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 169% less in Purwokerto. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Purwokerto, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Purwokerto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Purwokerto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Purwokerto. 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.