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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $708 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,133 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,557 in Surabaya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 83% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

671.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$12.12 Rp 218.6K

243.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

239.94%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$1.82 Rp 32.7K

93.41%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

151.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.26 Rp 4,648

273.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.41 Rp 43.5K

22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.02 Rp 72.4K

10.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.38 Rp 25.0K

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

29.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

76.34%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

74.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.04 Rp 163.1K

-7.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.29 Rp 59.4K

153.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$8.45 Rp 152.5K

26.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

7.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

-5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

-13.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.42 Rp 25.7K

46.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

34.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

21.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

-11.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.42 Rp 7,603

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$2.54 Rp 45.8K

60.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$24.78 Rp 446.9K

-58.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$1.77 Rp 31.8K

-3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$3.14 Rp 56.7K

-17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.48 Rp 8,572

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$9.40 Rp 169.6K

181.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.44 Rp 7,997

640.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.29 Rp 5,216

758.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.77 Rp 50.0K

17.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

55.95%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$20.6K Rp 372.2M

46.72%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$35.8K Rp 645.7M

-34.56%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

-2.35%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$4.09 Rp 73.7K

443.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$19.75 Rp 356.2K

48.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$21.59 Rp 389.4K

139.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.57 Rp 82.4K

300.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

77.89%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$188 Rp 3.4M

7.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$9,556 Rp 172.3M

-45.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

-40.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$38.56 Rp 695.3K

3.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

4.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$242 Rp 4.4M

301.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$135 Rp 2.4M

245.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$762 Rp 13.7M

115.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$393 Rp 7.1M

210.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$2,209 Rp 39.8M

78.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$1,067 Rp 19.2M

509.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$276 Rp 5.0M

140.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.33

37.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $242 in Surabaya. 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 141% 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 Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $226 – making Surabaya 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 Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 83%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,062 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surabaya, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $708 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 181% less in Surabaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Surabaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surabaya – 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 Surabaya. 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.