Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tanjung Pandan Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tanjung Pandan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $675 in Tanjung Pandan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,028 in Tanjung Pandan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,380 in Tanjung Pandan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 87% more than Tanjung Pandan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tanjung Pandan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tanjung Pandan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$1.55 Rp 26.7K

652.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$12.38 Rp 212.7K

238.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$3.34 Rp 57.5K

211.38%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.71 Rp 29.4K

111.11%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.55 Rp 9,465

167.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.26 Rp 4,452

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.40 Rp 41.3K

26.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$3.44 Rp 59.1K

29.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.17 Rp 20.1K

17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.13 Rp 19.4K

62.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

78.89%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.60 Rp 27.5K

60.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$8.33 Rp 143.2K

1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$3.24 Rp 55.7K

162.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.67 Rp 131.9K

43.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.40 Rp 41.3K

13.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.44 Rp 24.7K

4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.80 Rp 31.0K

8.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.50 Rp 25.8K

41.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

35.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.93 Rp 33.2K

12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.92 Rp 15.8K

16.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.41 Rp 7,060

156.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$2.47 Rp 42.4K

69.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$21.35 Rp 366.9K

-51.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.02 Rp 34.7K

-17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$3.24 Rp 55.7K

-23.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.30 Rp 5,123

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$9.59 Rp 164.8K

173.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.54 Rp 9,217

474.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.38 Rp 6,445

547.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$2.88 Rp 49.4K

12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.81 Rp 13.9K

55.56%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$24.3K Rp 418.3M

23.93%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$27.8K Rp 477.3M

-15.59%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$68.9 Rp 1.2M

21.90%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$4.34 Rp 74.6K

411.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$22.36 Rp 384.3K

32.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$22.66 Rp 389.5K

132.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$6.32 Rp 108.6K

190.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$3.00 Rp 51.6K

65.00%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$93.7 Rp 1.6M

111.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$7,663 Rp 131.7M

-30.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$42.09 Rp 723.4K

-14.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$31.19 Rp 536.0K

28.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

15.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$72.5 Rp 1.2M

19.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$261 Rp 4.5M

274.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$161 Rp 2.8M

193.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$596 Rp 10.2M

167.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$331 Rp 5.7M

266.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,303 Rp 22.4M

209.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$794 Rp 13.6M

728.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Pandan: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 in Tanjung Pandan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $12 in Tanjung Pandan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $208 – making Tanjung Pandan 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 Tanjung Pandan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 87%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,012 in Tanjung Pandan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tanjung Pandan, 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $675 in Tanjung Pandan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 174% less in Tanjung Pandan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tanjung Pandan, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Tanjung Pandan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tanjung Pandan – 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 Tanjung Pandan. 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.