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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $652 in Surakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $991 in Surakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,330 in Surakarta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 93% more than Surakarta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Surakarta are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Surakarta 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

681.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$12.08 Rp 218.0K

246.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.05 Rp 55.1K

244.59%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.72 Rp 31.1K

108.72%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.60 Rp 10.9K

151.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.25 Rp 4,483

268.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

65.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.89 Rp 52.1K

52.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

15.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.87 Rp 15.8K

116.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

105.26%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

108.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.35 Rp 168.8K

-11.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.86 Rp 51.7K

191.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.32 Rp 132.2K

48.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.30 Rp 41.6K

17.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.47 Rp 26.6K

2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.11 Rp 38.2K

-11.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

62.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.68 Rp 30.2K

32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

67.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.45 Rp 8,158

142.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.17 Rp 39.2K

93.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.23 Rp 148.6K

26.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.83 Rp 33.0K

-9.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.22 Rp 58.1K

-18.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.45 Rp 8,102

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$10.09 Rp 182.2K

159.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.47 Rp 8,523

555.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.31 Rp 5,597

674.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.78 Rp 50.3K

12.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

57.83%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$21.1K Rp 380.8M

41.29%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$35.3K Rp 636.5M

-33.86%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$84.1 Rp 1.5M

-3.30%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$2.23 Rp 40.2K

911.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$19.64 Rp 354.5K

53.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$20.09 Rp 362.6K

163.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$6.13 Rp 110.7K

200.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.09 Rp 37.8K

135.41%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$36.76 Rp 663.6K

446.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,073 Rp 37.4M

149.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-42.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$38.17 Rp 689.1K

5.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$77.1 Rp 1.4M

3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

18.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$261 Rp 4.7M

274.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$160 Rp 2.9M

193.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$594 Rp 10.7M

177.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$338 Rp 6.1M

256.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$158 Rp 2.9M

328.22%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 in Surakarta. 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 328% 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 Surakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $176 – making Surakarta 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 Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 93%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $978 in Surakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surakarta, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $652 in Surakarta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 159% less in Surakarta. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surakarta, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Surakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surakarta – 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 Surakarta. 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.