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 $1,669 per month in Seminyak, Bali vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,992 per month in Seminyak, Bali vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,316 per month in Seminyak, Bali vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Seminyak, Bali costs about 33% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Seminyak, Bali sits 25% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$11.99 MX$209

-66.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.64 Rp 676.4K

$41.78 MX$728

-9.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 Rp 104.0K

$10.75 MX$187

-46.14%

Cappuccino

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

$3.50 MX$60.9

-8.86%

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

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.45 MX$25.22

6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$0.88 MX$15.41

-6.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 Rp 60.1K

$2.95 MX$51.3

13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 Rp 81.1K

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 Rp 34.1K

$1.43 MX$24.94

32.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 Rp 48.0K

$1.84 MX$31.99

45.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

$1.57 MX$27.31

-19.75%

Eggs

$2.47 Rp 44.4K

$2.51 MX$43.74

-1.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 Rp 280.0K

$8.28 MX$144

88.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 Rp 81.5K

$8.43 MX$147

-46.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.71 Rp 228.5K

$10.68 MX$186

19.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.61 MX$45.43

47.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

$1.44 MX$25.04

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 Rp 52.7K

$1.96 MX$34.16

49.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.5K

$2.09 MX$36.47

15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 Rp 36.6K

$1.85 MX$32.24

10.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

$2.17 MX$37.74

5.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 Rp 20.1K

$1.03 MX$17.96

8.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.07 MX$18.70

-25.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 Rp 61.8K

$4.10 MX$71.4

-16.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.38 Rp 438.2K

$10.17 MX$177

139.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 Rp 54.0K

$1.68 MX$29.17

79.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$2.53 MX$43.98

18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 Rp 5,566

$0.51 MX$8.87

-39.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.48 Rp 170.3K

$26.04 MX$453

-63.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,459

$3.23 MX$56.3

-83.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 Rp 8,737

$2.41 MX$41.88

-79.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 Rp 130.5K

$3.23 MX$56.2

124.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 Rp 17.6K

$1.32 MX$23.00

-25.76%

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

$29.5K Rp 530.6M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-0.57%

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

$37.2K Rp 668.3M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

57.15%

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

$83.3 Rp 1.5M

$82.0 MX$1,428

1.54%

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

$4.17 Rp 75.0K

$22.95 MX$400

-81.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.93 Rp 448.0K

$30.11 MX$524

-17.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 Rp 2.0M

$52.0 MX$905

109.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.18 Rp 129.1K

$18.53 MX$323

-61.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.44 Rp 79.8K

$4.98 MX$86.6

-10.84%

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

$324 Rp 5.8M

$197 MX$3,438

64.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,137 Rp 128.3M

$5,336 MX$92.9K

33.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 Rp 1.0M

$35.60 MX$620

61.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 Rp 725.2K

$40.33 MX$702

0.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 Rp 1.7M

$78.8 MX$1,371

18.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

$88.9 MX$1,549

-7.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 Rp 23.0M

$947 MX$16.5K

34.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 Rp 15.5M

$474 MX$8,254

81.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,247 Rp 76.3M

$1,644 MX$28.6K

158.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 Rp 47.4M

$1,211 MX$21.1K

118.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,510 Rp 63.1M

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-13.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,874 Rp 51.6M

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-55.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.42

16.29%

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

Last update for Seminyak, Bali: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Seminyak, Bali versus $947 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 $38.00 in Seminyak, Bali versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $316 in Seminyak, Bali vs $249 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 33%, 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 $2,503 per month in Seminyak, Bali and $1,884 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 $1,669 in Seminyak, Bali and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 175% 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 $1,256, than in Seminyak, Bali at $1,669. 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.