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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,143 in Sanur, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,905 in Sanur, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,667 in Sanur, Bali, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% 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 7% lower, Sanur, Bali 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.65 Rp 46.9K

337.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$28.65 Rp 508.0K

64.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.30 Rp 76.2K

176.28%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.19 Rp 38.8K

81.74%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.45 Rp 25.7K

-1.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.68 Rp 12.1K

20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.41 Rp 42.8K

32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

97.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

15.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$2.10 Rp 37.3K

4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.06 Rp 18.9K

61.32%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.89 Rp 33.6K

44.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$16.10 Rp 285.5K

-40.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.70 Rp 65.6K

143.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.38 Rp 201.8K

12.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$3.28 Rp 58.2K

-11.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.07 Rp 36.6K

3.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.78 Rp 31.5K

26.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

14.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.13 Rp 37.7K

-6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

36.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.50 Rp 8,926

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.08 Rp 37.0K

118.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$20.77 Rp 368.4K

-50.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$2.16 Rp 38.4K

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.24 Rp 4,214

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$7.75 Rp 137.4K

271.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.43 Rp 7,627

1153.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.45 Rp 7,922

728.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$5.85 Rp 103.8K

-1.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

102.63%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$23.7K Rp 419.7M

-4.71%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$29.6K Rp 524.7M

-11.92%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

17.92%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$6.10 Rp 108.1K

313.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$18.08 Rp 320.7K

72.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$41.44 Rp 735.0K

62.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$13.60 Rp 241.2K

114.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$3.34 Rp 59.3K

45.51%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$450 Rp 8.0M

-50.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$5,199 Rp 92.2M

-18.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$41.74 Rp 740.2K

12.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$32.57 Rp 577.6K

35.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

11.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$71.8 Rp 1.3M

29.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$821 Rp 14.6M

29.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$512 Rp 9.1M

-23.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$2,696 Rp 47.8M

-20.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,265 Rp 22.4M

0.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,081 Rp 36.9M

92.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,736 Rp 30.8M

274.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.78

-16.91%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sanur, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $821 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Sanur, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $268 – making Sanur, Bali 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 Sanur, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,715 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,143 in Sanur, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 272% 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 $1,143, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.