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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $581 in Semarang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $928 in Semarang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,274 in Semarang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 124% more than Semarang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Semarang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Semarang 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

724.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$10.54 Rp 185.6K

349.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

274.20%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

232.26%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.49 Rp 8,635

185.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.18 Rp 3,148

405.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

83.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.43 Rp 60.3K

106.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

123.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

124.05%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

104.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$5.66 Rp 99.6K

62.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.36 Rp 41.6K

291.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$8.16 Rp 143.6K

54.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

17.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

3.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

22.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

51.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.79 Rp 31.5K

11.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

-11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

49.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.42 Rp 7,375

188.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.26 Rp 39.8K

103.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$14.17 Rp 249.5K

-25.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.35 Rp 41.4K

-28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

2.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.24 Rp 4,246

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$14.32 Rp 252.2K

107.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

488.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.29 Rp 5,129

1158.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

92.50%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$23.0K Rp 405.1M

-0.90%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$31.1K Rp 547.6M

-17.01%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

33.20%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

836.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$20.77 Rp 365.6K

52.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$21.00 Rp 369.8K

227.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$4.76 Rp 83.8K

517.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

118.92%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$40.97 Rp 721.3K

450.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

88.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$28.65 Rp 504.3K

65.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$29.45 Rp 518.4K

47.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$58.8 Rp 1.0M

36.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$39.84 Rp 701.5K

129.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$229 Rp 4.0M

374.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$143 Rp 2.5M

185.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$496 Rp 8.7M

297.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$394 Rp 6.9M

225.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,178 Rp 20.7M

243.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$557 Rp 9.8M

1104.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$196 Rp 3.5M

294.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.83

46.23%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Semarang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $229 in Semarang. 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 294% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Semarang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $183 – making Semarang 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 Semarang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 124%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $872 in Semarang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semarang, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $581 in Semarang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 107% less in Semarang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Semarang, where all-in costs run around $581, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Semarang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Semarang. 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.