Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Semarang: $593 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Semarang
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Semarang Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Semarang

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$593

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Semarang and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Semarang and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $593 per month in Semarang vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Semarang $593
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $938 per month in Semarang vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Semarang $938
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,282 per month in Semarang vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Semarang $1,282
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Semarang is about 51% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Semarang and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Semarang 56% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.34 Rp 24.4K

$10.92 MX$204

-87.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.53 Rp 191.3K

$43.37 MX$808

-75.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.04 Rp 55.3K

$11.78 MX$220

-74.19%

Cappuccino

$1.28 Rp 23.2K

$3.81 MX$71.0

-66.40%

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

$0.43 Rp 7,808

$1.28 MX$23.90

-66.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 Rp 2,847

$0.78 MX$14.59

-79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 Rp 29.8K

$3.17 MX$59.0

-48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 Rp 59.1K

$4.93 MX$92.0

-34.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.41 MX$26.22

-25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 Rp 16.7K

$2.22 MX$41.33

-58.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 Rp 14.4K

$1.42 MX$26.42

-44.37%

Eggs

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

$2.52 MX$47.03

-53.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.86 Rp 70.2K

$7.26 MX$135

-46.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.4K

$7.70 MX$143

-69.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 Rp 137.3K

$12.69 MX$237

-40.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 35.7K

$2.78 MX$51.9

-29.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 23.3K

$1.37 MX$25.50

-6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.8K

$2.55 MX$47.55

-29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.7K

$2.12 MX$39.58

-30.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 23.3K

$1.94 MX$36.13

-34.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.3K

$1.89 MX$35.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 Rp 17.0K

$1.15 MX$21.37

-19.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,359

$1.18 MX$21.98

-66.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 Rp 34.1K

$4.30 MX$80.1

-56.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.05 Rp 455.2K

$9.95 MX$185

151.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 Rp 29.8K

$1.58 MX$29.52

3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 Rp 35.4K

$2.67 MX$49.79

-26.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,816

$0.55 MX$10.31

-61.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.93 Rp 253.1K

$26.62 MX$496

-47.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 9,128

$4.97 MX$92.6

-89.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,331

$3.33 MX$62.1

-91.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 Rp 48.8K

$5.36 MX$99.8

-49.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 14.0K

$1.44 MX$26.92

-46.53%

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

$24.5K Rp 446.0M

$20.7K MX$385.2K

18.74%

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

$32.2K Rp 585.5M

$23.5K MX$437.4K

37.29%

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

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

$84.8 MX$1,581

1.58%

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

$2.67 Rp 48.4K

$23.41 MX$436

-88.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.96 Rp 344.7K

$28.66 MX$534

-33.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.30 Rp 368.9K

$57.1 MX$1,063

-64.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 Rp 81.5K

$28.91 MX$539

-84.47%

Cinema Ticket

$2.25 Rp 40.9K

$5.14 MX$95.8

-56.23%

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

$49.33 Rp 896.6K

$207 MX$3,851

-76.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,076 Rp 37.7M

$3,927 MX$73.2K

-47.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.61 Rp 629.1K

$43.35 MX$808

-20.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.31 Rp 532.7K

$41.44 MX$772

-29.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$74.2 MX$1,383

-23.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.07 Rp 691.9K

$89.3 MX$1,664

-57.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 Rp 4.1M

$980 MX$18.3K

-76.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 Rp 2.5M

$381 MX$7,099

-64.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 Rp 8.7M

$1,708 MX$31.8K

-72.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 Rp 6.9M

$1,075 MX$20.0K

-64.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,223 Rp 22.2M

$3,943 MX$73.5K

-68.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$833 Rp 15.1M

$6,158 MX$114.8K

-86.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$186 Rp 3.4M

$735 MX$13.7K

-74.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.82

11.45

-22.97%

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

Last update for Semarang: October 24, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Semarang

$184 31%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 38.6% $71

Accommodation & Living

Semarang

$136 23%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 179% $244

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Semarang

$108 18.2%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 27% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Semarang

$71 12%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 56.7% $40

Eating Out

Semarang

$52 8.8%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 287% $150

Sport & Entertainment

Semarang

$25 4.2%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 172% $43

Getting Around

Semarang

$17 2.8%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 201% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $226 in Semarang versus $980 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 in Playa del Carmen are about 4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Semarang versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $255 – making Semarang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Semarang

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

03:49 3:49 AM

15:49 3:49 PM

12 h behind Semarang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,555,984

149,923

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Semarang Playa del Carmen 17,600 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Semarang
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 103%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $890 per month in Semarang and $1,806 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 Semarang, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $226 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $593 in Semarang and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Semarang about 51% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Semarang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Semarang, where all-in costs run around $593, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Semarang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Semarang – 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 Semarang. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.