Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Uluwatu, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Uluwatu, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,744 in Uluwatu, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,142 in Uluwatu, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,540 in Uluwatu, Bali, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 27% cheaper than Uluwatu, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Uluwatu, Bali is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.17 Rp 74.7K

184.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$38.98 Rp 698.4K

10.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.93 Rp 106.2K

79.60%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

4.86%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.66 Rp 29.8K

-9.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

6.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.52 Rp 63.0K

-13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.61 Rp 82.5K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

-26.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.66 Rp 47.7K

-30.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

35.29%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$15.09 Rp 270.3K

-45.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.40 Rp 78.9K

90.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$12.47 Rp 223.5K

-14.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.89 Rp 69.7K

-32.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.69 Rp 30.2K

-11.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-31.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.41 Rp 43.2K

-13.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.02 Rp 36.1K

-7.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.36 Rp 42.4K

-4.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

-1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

34.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.46 Rp 62.1K

19.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$24.07 Rp 431.3K

-56.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.97 Rp 53.2K

-42.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.85 Rp 51.1K

-8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.33 Rp 5,990

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$10.26 Rp 183.9K

162.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.61 Rp 11.0K

413.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.53 Rp 9,557

373.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$7.86 Rp 140.7K

-59.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

23.30%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$32.7K Rp 585.0M

-6.98%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$39.5K Rp 708.5M

-40.41%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$86.4 Rp 1.5M

-3.92%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.38 Rp 78.5K

418.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$25.99 Rp 465.7K

13.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$113 Rp 2.0M

-54.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$7.77 Rp 139.1K

135.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.82 Rp 86.4K

2.28%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$339 Rp 6.1M

-41.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$7,366 Rp 132.0M

-28.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$58.6 Rp 1.0M

-36.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$41.81 Rp 749.0K

-4.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$95.0 Rp 1.7M

-15.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$86.5 Rp 1.6M

3.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$1,375 Rp 24.6M

-30.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$919 Rp 16.5M

-48.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$4,635 Rp 83.0M

-64.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$2,804 Rp 50.2M

-56.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$3,664 Rp 65.6M

6.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$3,073 Rp 55.1M

110.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.28

-14.01%

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 Uluwatu, Bali: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,375 in Uluwatu, Bali. 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 $39.00 in Uluwatu, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $311 in Uluwatu, Bali – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Uluwatu, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Uluwatu, Bali is pricier by about 37%, 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 $2,615 in Uluwatu, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,744 in Uluwatu, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 163% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Uluwatu, Bali at $1,744. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uluwatu, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Uluwatu, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.