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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,597 per month in Seminyak, Bali vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,750 per month in Seminyak, Bali vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,904 per month in Seminyak, Bali vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Seminyak, Bali costs about 23% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Seminyak, Bali sits 16% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 Rp 70.9K

$11.71 MX$198

-65.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 Rp 786.6K

$46.59 MX$786

-4.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 Rp 112.8K

$11.65 MX$197

-45.06%

Cappuccino

$3.11 Rp 54.9K

$4.09 MX$69.1

-23.96%

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

$1.95 Rp 34.5K

$1.37 MX$23.20

42.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 Rp 15.1K

$0.83 MX$14.07

3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 Rp 57.0K

$3.35 MX$56.6

-3.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 Rp 88.6K

$6.91 MX$117

-27.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 Rp 29.7K

$1.73 MX$29.15

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$2.26 MX$38.15

3.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 Rp 20.8K

$1.77 MX$29.86

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.29 Rp 40.4K

$2.73 MX$46.12

-16.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.75 Rp 330.7K

$9.18 MX$155

104.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 Rp 74.1K

$8.92 MX$151

-52.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 Rp 223.0K

$12.60 MX$213

0.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$3.02 MX$51.0

28.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

$1.57 MX$26.51

8.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 Rp 43.6K

$2.13 MX$35.88

15.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$2.26 MX$38.22

-6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

$2.00 MX$33.82

-3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 Rp 43.4K

$2.06 MX$34.85

19.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.6K

$1.18 MX$19.91

-11.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

$1.20 MX$20.32

-52.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 Rp 43.0K

$4.63 MX$78.2

-47.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.45 Rp 431.1K

$10.69 MX$180

128.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 Rp 44.7K

$1.62 MX$27.33

56.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 50.7K

$2.88 MX$48.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,073

$0.57 MX$9.68

-49.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.74 Rp 171.8K

$29.83 MX$503

-67.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 9,939

$5.45 MX$91.9

-89.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 Rp 8,922

$3.70 MX$62.5

-86.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 Rp 45.2K

$5.98 MX$101

-57.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 Rp 16.7K

$1.55 MX$26.22

-38.71%

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

$27.9K Rp 492.7M

$22.3K MX$376.8K

25.15%

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

$36.8K Rp 648.9M

$25.9K MX$438.0K

41.81%

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

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

$89.1 MX$1,504

-4.75%

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

$6.71 Rp 118.2K

$25.04 MX$423

-73.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.86 Rp 350.1K

$31.50 MX$532

-36.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 Rp 1.1M

$67.8 MX$1,144

-6.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.65 Rp 364.1K

$28.92 MX$488

-28.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 Rp 85.3K

$5.05 MX$85.2

-4.16%

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

$528 Rp 9.3M

$225 MX$3,797

134.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,331 Rp 111.6M

$4,222 MX$71.3K

49.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.69 Rp 840.9K

$47.44 MX$801

0.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 669.8K

$44.98 MX$759

-15.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$82.0 MX$1,384

2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 Rp 1.5M

$92.1 MX$1,555

-7.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 Rp 24.9M

$1,069 MX$18.0K

31.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 Rp 15.3M

$405 MX$6,842

113.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,508 Rp 79.5M

$1,935 MX$32.7K

132.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 Rp 38.5M

$1,301 MX$22.0K

67.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,507 Rp 61.8M

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-12.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,862 Rp 50.5M

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-56.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.45

20.35%

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

Last update for Seminyak, Bali: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,410 in Seminyak, Bali versus $1,069 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Seminyak, Bali versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $309 in Seminyak, Bali vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – 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

Seminyak, Bali vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seminyak, Bali is pricier by about 23%, 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 $2,395 per month in Seminyak, Bali and $1,940 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 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 $1,597 in Seminyak, Bali and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 206% 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 $1,293, than in Seminyak, Bali at $1,597. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seminyak, 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, Seminyak, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.