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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $688 per month in Surabaya vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,205 per month in Surabaya vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,722 per month in Surabaya vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Both Surabaya and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

$11.71 MX$198

-85.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.40 Rp 201.0K

$46.59 MX$787

-75.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.24 Rp 57.2K

$11.65 MX$197

-72.19%

Cappuccino

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$4.09 MX$69.2

-61.86%

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

$0.56 Rp 9,841

$1.37 MX$23.23

-59.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,572

$0.83 MX$14.09

-68.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

$3.35 MX$56.7

-32.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

$6.91 MX$117

-36.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

$1.73 MX$29.19

-30.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$2.26 MX$38.20

-40.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

$1.77 MX$29.90

-51.41%

Eggs

$1.21 Rp 21.2K

$2.73 MX$46.18

-55.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 Rp 137.5K

$9.18 MX$155

-15.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

$8.92 MX$151

-66.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 Rp 138.8K

$12.60 MX$213

-37.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

$3.02 MX$51.1

-33.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

$1.57 MX$26.54

-15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

$2.13 MX$35.92

-12.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

$2.26 MX$38.27

-32.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

$2.00 MX$33.87

-31.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

$2.06 MX$34.89

-6.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

$1.18 MX$19.94

-17.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,050

$1.20 MX$20.35

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$4.63 MX$78.3

-57.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.35 Rp 447.0K

$10.69 MX$181

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

$1.62 MX$27.37

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

$2.88 MX$48.69

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 Rp 6,271

$0.57 MX$9.69

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,334

$5.45 MX$92.1

-91.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,293

$3.70 MX$62.6

-87.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

$5.98 MX$101

-54.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.55 MX$26.25

-48.39%

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

$24.7K Rp 435.5M

$22.3K MX$377.3K

10.63%

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

$33.1K Rp 583.3M

$25.9K MX$438.5K

27.50%

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

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$89.1 MX$1,506

-0.24%

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

$4.83 Rp 85.2K

$25.04 MX$423

-80.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.84 Rp 349.7K

$31.50 MX$532

-37.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.57 Rp 327.4K

$67.8 MX$1,145

-72.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.54 Rp 115.3K

$28.92 MX$489

-77.39%

Cinema Ticket

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

$5.05 MX$85.3

-47.52%

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

$286 Rp 5.0M

$225 MX$3,802

27.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,694 Rp 170.9M

$4,222 MX$71.4K

129.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

$47.44 MX$802

50.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 Rp 695.8K

$44.98 MX$760

-12.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$82.0 MX$1,386

-0.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

$92.1 MX$1,556

-18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 Rp 5.1M

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-72.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.6M

$405 MX$6,850

-63.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-34.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 Rp 10.9M

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-52.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-44.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,073 Rp 18.9M

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-83.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$749 MX$12.7K

-62.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

11.45

-34.50%

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

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Surabaya 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.

Salaries run about 170% 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 $11.00 in Surabaya versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $277 – making Surabaya 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 88%, 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 $1,032 per month in Surabaya 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 Surabaya, 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 $688 in Surabaya and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $286 per month in Surabaya and $225 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 Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Surabaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surabaya – 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 Surabaya. 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.