Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarinda and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarinda and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $668 per month in Samarinda vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,042 per month in Samarinda vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,417 per month in Samarinda vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Samarinda is about 47% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Samarinda and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Samarinda 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$11.60 MX$200

-85.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.45 Rp 255.8K

$47.11 MX$812

-69.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

$11.88 MX$205

-71.97%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.7K

$3.98 MX$68.6

-62.06%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,041

$1.43 MX$24.60

-68.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,096

$0.82 MX$14.22

-71.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 42.8K

$3.19 MX$55.0

-24.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 Rp 62.8K

$6.79 MX$117

-47.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.68 MX$28.89

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

$2.20 MX$37.88

-60.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 Rp 11.7K

$1.71 MX$29.45

-61.40%

Eggs

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

$2.74 MX$47.26

-46.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$9.58 MX$165

-20.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

$9.01 MX$155

-60.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 Rp 180.2K

$12.81 MX$221

-20.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 Rp 91.1K

$2.89 MX$49.81

77.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.50 MX$25.81

-25.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$2.15 MX$37.03

-47.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$2.26 MX$38.96

-36.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

$1.98 MX$34.15

-32.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

$1.99 MX$34.30

-5.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

$1.23 MX$21.28

-40.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 9,912

$1.20 MX$20.63

-53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$4.55 MX$78.5

-54.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.88 Rp 369.8K

$10.37 MX$179

101.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$1.62 MX$27.91

6.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.88 MX$49.67

2.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 Rp 5,563

$0.60 MX$10.35

-48.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,867

$5.39 MX$92.9

-90.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,160

$3.73 MX$64.3

-92.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

$5.77 MX$99.5

-48.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$1.54 MX$26.48

-47.40%

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

$26.2K Rp 464.2M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

16.27%

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

$30.6K Rp 542.1M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

17.49%

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

$69.6 Rp 1.2M

$91.4 MX$1,576

-23.88%

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

$4.76 Rp 84.3K

$25.20 MX$435

-81.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.69 Rp 348.7K

$31.24 MX$539

-36.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.10 Rp 355.8K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-70.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.41 Rp 131.2K

$29.11 MX$502

-74.54%

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 Rp 49.1K

$4.86 MX$83.8

-43.00%

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

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

$224 MX$3,856

-55.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,725 Rp 119.1M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

59.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.32 Rp 731.7K

$47.10 MX$812

-12.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 Rp 528.5K

$44.29 MX$764

-32.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

$80.1 MX$1,381

-6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$92.7 MX$1,598

-14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 Rp 3.5M

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-81.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$390 MX$6,728

-65.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 Rp 8.5M

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-77.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.3M

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-71.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,143 Rp 20.2M

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-71.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$687 Rp 12.2M

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-89.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 Rp 6.0M

$758 MX$13.1K

-55.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

11.45

-17.38%

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

Last update for Samarinda: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Samarinda versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. 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 123% 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 $14.00 in Samarinda versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $276 – making Samarinda 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

Samarinda vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 90%, 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 $1,001 per month in Samarinda and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samarinda, 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 $668 in Samarinda and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $98.8 per month in Samarinda and $224 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Samarinda, where all-in costs run around $668, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Samarinda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samarinda – 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 Samarinda. 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.