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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $644 in Semarang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,036 in Semarang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,429 in Semarang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 95% more than Semarang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Semarang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Semarang 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

569.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$12.50 Rp 224.6K

234.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

195.33%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

139.73%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.48 Rp 8,703

202.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.27 Rp 4,829

225.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.01 Rp 36.1K

46.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

56.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

33.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

84.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

82.56%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

57.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.13 Rp 110.1K

35.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$2.82 Rp 50.6K

198.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.48 Rp 152.4K

25.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.60 Rp 46.6K

0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.95 Rp 35.1K

0.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

33.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.23 Rp 22.2K

50.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

18.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.40 Rp 7,269

167.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.29 Rp 41.2K

79.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$13.53 Rp 243.1K

-24.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.56 Rp 46.0K

-34.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

-10.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.26 Rp 4,710

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$12.96 Rp 232.9K

100.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

271.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.31 Rp 5,572

677.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.87 Rp 51.5K

12.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

65.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.8K Rp 445.4M

19.82%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$30.4K Rp 546.4M

-22.18%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

-11.54%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

734.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$23.45 Rp 421.5K

28.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$23.69 Rp 425.7K

119.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$5.24 Rp 94.1K

253.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.05 Rp 54.8K

63.28%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$44.58 Rp 801.1K

342.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,388 Rp 42.9M

123.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$36.26 Rp 651.6K

-1.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$32.31 Rp 580.6K

24.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$67.1 Rp 1.2M

17.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$43.45 Rp 780.8K

104.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$255 Rp 4.6M

272.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$152 Rp 2.7M

211.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$544 Rp 9.8M

202.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$419 Rp 7.5M

189.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,179 Rp 21.2M

243.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$545 Rp 9.8M

1086.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$189 Rp 3.4M

246.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.83

45.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Semarang: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $255 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 246% 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 $12.00 in Semarang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $188 – 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 95%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $966 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $644 in Semarang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 101% 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 $644, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.