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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $692 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,059 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,425 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 86% more than Tanjung Pinang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tanjung Pinang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Tanjung Pinang 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.58 Rp 62.1K

233.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$12.53 Rp 217.1K

241.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.41 Rp 59.1K

210.56%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.70 Rp 29.5K

112.94%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.54 Rp 9,404

172.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.28 Rp 4,892

235.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.53 Rp 43.8K

22.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.60 Rp 62.3K

23.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.23 Rp 21.3K

16.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.13 Rp 19.6K

66.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.95 Rp 16.4K

71.58%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.43 Rp 24.8K

84.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.24 Rp 142.8K

-0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.14 Rp 54.5K

164.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.95 Rp 137.7K

39.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.37 Rp 41.2K

11.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.50 Rp 25.9K

38.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.32 Rp 22.9K

35.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.89 Rp 32.7K

15.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.89 Rp 15.4K

21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.42 Rp 7,254

147.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.94 Rp 33.7K

104.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$23.06 Rp 399.6K

-55.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.11 Rp 36.6K

-18.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.09 Rp 53.6K

-19.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.30 Rp 5,157

73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$10.10 Rp 175.0K

167.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.57 Rp 9,958

450.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.34 Rp 5,969

605.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.94 Rp 51.0K

5.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

64.94%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$24.2K Rp 420.2M

27.37%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.9K Rp 484.3M

-16.56%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

17.34%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.36 Rp 75.6K

414.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$22.55 Rp 390.8K

31.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$23.25 Rp 403.1K

123.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$6.22 Rp 107.7K

200.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.64 Rp 45.8K

88.26%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$93.6 Rp 1.6M

111.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,575 Rp 131.3M

-30.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$42.29 Rp 733.0K

-14.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$30.77 Rp 533.4K

30.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$66.1 Rp 1.1M

20.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$74.3 Rp 1.3M

19.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$261 Rp 4.5M

268.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$156 Rp 2.7M

197.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$594 Rp 10.3M

168.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$336 Rp 5.8M

259.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,212 Rp 21.0M

225.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$797 Rp 13.8M

708.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$283 Rp 4.9M

154.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.5

75.69%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Pinang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 in Tanjung Pinang. 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 155% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Tanjung Pinang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $212 – making Tanjung Pinang 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 Pinang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 86%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,038 in Tanjung Pinang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tanjung Pinang, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $692 in Tanjung Pinang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 167% less in Tanjung Pinang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tanjung Pinang, where all-in costs run around $692, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Tanjung Pinang 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 Pinang – 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 Pinang. 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.