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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $653 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,017 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,380 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 94% 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 7% lower, Tanjung Pinang 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.45 Rp 61.2K

236.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$14.16 Rp 250.8K

232.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.19 Rp 56.6K

272.41%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.69 Rp 29.9K

135.50%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.47 Rp 8,290

204.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.23 Rp 4,055

256.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.21 Rp 39.1K

44.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

99.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

98.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

98.84%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

82.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.55 Rp 133.8K

26.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.02 Rp 53.4K

198.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.03 Rp 124.4K

82.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.34 Rp 41.4K

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.35 Rp 24.0K

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.49 Rp 26.3K

44.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

71.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

44.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.07 Rp 36.7K

-3.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

43.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.39 Rp 6,935

207.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.71 Rp 47.9K

67.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$23.23 Rp 411.4K

-55.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

-6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.89 Rp 51.1K

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.25 Rp 4,382

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

829.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.32 Rp 5,653

1065.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

103.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.70 Rp 12.3K

120.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$20.6K Rp 365.6M

9.22%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$33.1K Rp 586.9M

-21.38%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$63.9 Rp 1.1M

43.12%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$4.19 Rp 74.1K

501.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$22.04 Rp 390.2K

41.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$20.00 Rp 354.1K

236.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$7.67 Rp 135.8K

279.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$2.90 Rp 51.3K

67.59%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

167.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$8,046 Rp 142.5M

-47.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$38.41 Rp 680.1K

22.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$29.54 Rp 523.0K

49.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

21.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$215 Rp 3.8M

394.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$141 Rp 2.5M

177.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$577 Rp 10.2M

272.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$330 Rp 5.8M

285.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,200 Rp 21.2M

233.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$672 Rp 11.9M

868.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$201 Rp 3.6M

277.67%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Pinang: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $215 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 278% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Tanjung Pinang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $201 – 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 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $980 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $653 in Tanjung Pinang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $83.5 in Tanjung Pinang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tanjung Pinang, where all-in costs run around $653, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.