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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $702 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,117 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,532 in Surabaya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 79% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

658.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$12.11 Rp 217.6K

245.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.05 Rp 54.9K

252.46%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

94.44%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

126.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.28 Rp 5,048

214.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.40 Rp 43.2K

22.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.09 Rp 73.5K

10.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

22.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

67.02%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

67.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.24 Rp 166.1K

-10.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

164.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.13 Rp 146.0K

31.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

8.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

-10.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

39.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

39.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

25.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

-13.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.45 Rp 8,091

137.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

67.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$25.13 Rp 451.6K

-59.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.31 Rp 59.5K

-23.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.44 Rp 7,860

15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$9.48 Rp 170.4K

174.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.48 Rp 8,592

572.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.31 Rp 5,615

677.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

18.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

53.49%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$20.5K Rp 368.6M

44.77%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$35.0K Rp 629.7M

-32.47%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-1.15%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$4.31 Rp 77.5K

432.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$19.61 Rp 352.5K

53.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$21.82 Rp 392.2K

138.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$4.59 Rp 82.6K

303.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

73.52%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$186 Rp 3.3M

6.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,556 Rp 171.7M

-44.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-43.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$38.85 Rp 698.2K

3.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

6.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$244 Rp 4.4M

287.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$136 Rp 2.4M

248.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$792 Rp 14.2M

107.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$399 Rp 7.2M

203.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,202 Rp 39.6M

84.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

518.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$269 Rp 4.8M

143.00%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $244 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 143% 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 $228 – 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 79%, 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 $1,054 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $702 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 175% 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 $702, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.