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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $655 in Tanjung Pandan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,022 in Tanjung Pandan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,388 in Tanjung Pandan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 94% 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 5% lower, Tanjung Pandan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$1.50 Rp 27.2K

691.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$12.48 Rp 226.3K

243.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$3.33 Rp 60.5K

219.82%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$1.65 Rp 29.8K

109.09%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$0.54 Rp 9,842

177.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.26 Rp 4,707

265.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.48 Rp 44.9K

22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$3.49 Rp 63.2K

32.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.21 Rp 22.0K

14.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.12 Rp 20.3K

65.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$0.93 Rp 16.9K

73.12%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$1.59 Rp 28.9K

62.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$8.35 Rp 151.5K

-1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$3.14 Rp 56.9K

166.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$7.75 Rp 140.6K

37.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$2.38 Rp 43.1K

10.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.43 Rp 26.0K

4.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$1.89 Rp 34.3K

1.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$1.50 Rp 27.2K

39.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$1.37 Rp 24.9K

35.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.87 Rp 34.0K

20.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$0.90 Rp 16.4K

17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.44 Rp 8,015

147.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$2.53 Rp 45.8K

64.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$20.05 Rp 363.6K

-48.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.09 Rp 38.0K

-17.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$3.10 Rp 56.3K

-15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.32 Rp 5,880

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$9.56 Rp 173.5K

181.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$0.54 Rp 9,760

479.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$0.35 Rp 6,315

617.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$3.00 Rp 54.4K

5.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

62.82%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$24.3K Rp 440.1M

25.18%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$27.7K Rp 503.2M

-15.06%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$70.6 Rp 1.3M

17.55%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$4.27 Rp 77.5K

431.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$22.73 Rp 412.2K

29.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$23.21 Rp 420.9K

119.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$6.11 Rp 110.8K

200.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$3.15 Rp 57.2K

56.51%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$93.5 Rp 1.7M

110.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$7,607 Rp 138.0M

-30.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$42.50 Rp 770.8K

-13.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$31.15 Rp 565.0K

28.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

21.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$75.3 Rp 1.4M

18.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$258 Rp 4.7M

270.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$155 Rp 2.8M

207.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$596 Rp 10.8M

176.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$338 Rp 6.1M

262.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$1,049 Rp 19.0M

273.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$645 Rp 11.7M

901.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Pandan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $258 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Tanjung Pandan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $206 – 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 94%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $982 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $655 in Tanjung Pandan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 182% 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 $655, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.