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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $628 in Tanjung Pandan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $996 in Tanjung Pandan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,363 in Tanjung Pandan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 108% 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 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$1.65 Rp 29.1K

624.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$801

$14.06 Rp 247.6K

236.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$3.42 Rp 60.2K

243.57%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.7

$1.55 Rp 27.2K

165.81%

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

$1.40 MX$23.66

$0.42 Rp 7,461

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.43

$0.23 Rp 4,026

295.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.2

$2.21 Rp 38.9K

45.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.36 Rp 59.2K

110.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.35

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

43.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.36

$1.06 Rp 18.7K

102.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.00

$0.88 Rp 15.5K

101.14%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.60

$1.50 Rp 26.4K

88.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.34 Rp 129.3K

25.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$3.06 Rp 53.8K

201.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.88 Rp 138.9K

60.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.90

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

34.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.70

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

18.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.58

$1.70 Rp 30.0K

30.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.96

$1.23 Rp 21.7K

91.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.70

$1.27 Rp 22.3K

56.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.47

$2.00 Rp 35.2K

-1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.97

$0.77 Rp 13.5K

61.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.48

$0.43 Rp 7,621

181.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.8

$2.76 Rp 48.7K

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$20.57 Rp 362.3K

-48.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.60

$1.85 Rp 32.7K

-8.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.91

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

-6.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.19

$0.29 Rp 5,118

106.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.5

$0.52 Rp 9,181

907.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.7

$0.35 Rp 6,198

942.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.8

$2.83 Rp 49.9K

104.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.01

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

90.12%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$23.3K Rp 410.6M

-2.18%

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

$25.8K MX$436.5K

$30.6K Rp 538.8M

-15.62%

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

$90.7 MX$1,533

$67.8 Rp 1.2M

33.65%

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

$25.19 MX$426

$4.35 Rp 76.5K

479.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$537

$19.53 Rp 344.0K

62.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,163

$20.04 Rp 353.0K

243.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$497

$8.59 Rp 151.2K

241.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.2

$2.88 Rp 50.7K

68.75%

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

$226 MX$3,816

$97.0 Rp 1.7M

132.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.9K

$7,767 Rp 136.8M

-46.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$801

$43.93 Rp 773.8K

7.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$735

$29.70 Rp 523.2K

46.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,356

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

10.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,545

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

26.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$223 Rp 3.9M

387.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,910

$157 Rp 2.8M

160.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$557 Rp 9.8M

254.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$363 Rp 6.4M

252.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.4K

$1,198 Rp 21.1M

237.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.4K

$660 Rp 11.6M

915.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.46

21.04%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Pandan: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $223 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Tanjung Pandan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $197 – 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 108%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $942 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $628 in Tanjung Pandan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $97.0 in Tanjung Pandan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tanjung Pandan, where all-in costs run around $628, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.