Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sanur, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sanur, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,151 in Sanur, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,035 in Sanur, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,920 in Sanur, Bali, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Sanur, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sanur, Bali are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sanur, Bali 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.80 Rp 50.6K

318.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$26.09 Rp 471.0K

60.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.05 Rp 73.2K

159.51%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

67.76%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.08 Rp 19.6K

39.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.36 Rp 42.6K

25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.16 Rp 57.0K

39.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.62 Rp 29.2K

-13.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.22 Rp 40.0K

-15.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.04 Rp 18.8K

50.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.21 Rp 39.8K

18.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$13.37 Rp 241.5K

-37.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.90 Rp 70.5K

114.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.72 Rp 193.6K

1.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.42 Rp 61.8K

-20.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.47 Rp 26.5K

2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.56 Rp 46.2K

-26.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.09 Rp 37.7K

4.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.06 Rp 37.1K

8.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.92 Rp 16.6K

16.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.66 Rp 11.9K

65.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.96 Rp 53.4K

41.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$21.05 Rp 380.1K

-50.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.59 Rp 46.8K

-35.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.61 Rp 47.2K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.26 Rp 4,662

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$7.84 Rp 141.5K

233.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.44 Rp 7,939

600.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.40 Rp 7,267

500.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.86 Rp 105.8K

-46.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

57.83%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$24.5K Rp 442.9M

21.50%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$31.0K Rp 560.2M

-24.84%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$76.1 Rp 1.4M

6.85%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$3.79 Rp 68.5K

495.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$22.91 Rp 413.6K

31.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$72.1 Rp 1.3M

-26.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.78 Rp 86.2K

284.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.99 Rp 53.9K

64.55%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$275 Rp 5.0M

-27.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,946 Rp 107.3M

-12.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$48.47 Rp 875.0K

-25.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$34.23 Rp 618.0K

17.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$78.5 Rp 1.4M

1.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$69.6 Rp 1.3M

24.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$732 Rp 13.2M

33.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$498 Rp 9.0M

-5.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$2,495 Rp 45.1M

-33.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,523 Rp 27.5M

-20.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,012 Rp 36.3M

96.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,679 Rp 30.3M

293.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.28

-14.01%

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 Sanur, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $732 in Sanur, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Sanur, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $271 in Sanur, Bali – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sanur, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,727 in Sanur, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sanur, Bali, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,151 in Sanur, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 234% less in Sanur, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanur, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,151, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Sanur, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sanur, Bali – 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 Sanur, Bali. 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.