Cost of Living Comparison Between Tanjung Pandan and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Tanjung Pandan and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $678 per month in Tanjung Pandan vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,039 per month in Tanjung Pandan vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,400 per month in Tanjung Pandan vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tanjung Pandan is about 46% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tanjung Pandan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tanjung Pandan 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$11.95 MX$209

-87.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.44 Rp 223.1K

$41.94 MX$734

-70.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 Rp 61.0K

$10.42 MX$182

-67.37%

Cappuccino

$1.67 Rp 29.9K

$3.51 MX$61.5

-52.42%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,928

$1.52 MX$26.53

-63.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,075

$0.91 MX$15.93

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 Rp 45.2K

$3.04 MX$53.2

-17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 Rp 65.0K

$4.37 MX$76.5

-17.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 22.0K

$1.42 MX$24.86

-13.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

$1.83 MX$32.03

-38.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 16.6K

$1.63 MX$28.60

-43.56%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$2.54 MX$44.43

-39.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 Rp 147.0K

$8.57 MX$150

-4.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 Rp 55.1K

$8.49 MX$149

-63.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.68 Rp 137.7K

$10.80 MX$189

-28.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

$2.75 MX$48.19

-17.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$1.44 MX$25.13

4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

$1.89 MX$33.00

-1.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$2.17 MX$37.96

-28.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

$1.78 MX$31.13

-25.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 35.2K

$2.22 MX$38.91

-11.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

$1.07 MX$18.70

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,387

$1.08 MX$18.89

-62.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 Rp 44.0K

$4.15 MX$72.5

-40.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.83 Rp 373.7K

$10.45 MX$183

99.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 38.1K

$1.74 MX$30.50

21.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

$2.58 MX$45.16

20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,323

$0.51 MX$8.98

-41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.01 Rp 179.5K

$25.94 MX$454

-61.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,401

$3.21 MX$56.2

-83.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,148

$2.50 MX$43.78

-86.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Rp 51.4K

$3.19 MX$55.7

-10.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

$1.26 MX$21.98

-34.92%

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

$24.2K Rp 433.5M

$29.7K MX$519.3K

-18.60%

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

$27.7K Rp 496.8M

$23.7K MX$414.3K

16.96%

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

$70.0 Rp 1.3M

$82.0 MX$1,435

-14.65%

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

$4.37 Rp 78.4K

$22.73 MX$398

-80.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.52 Rp 403.9K

$29.42 MX$515

-23.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.74 Rp 407.8K

$52.2 MX$913

-56.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.25 Rp 112.1K

$18.45 MX$323

-66.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

$4.93 MX$86.3

-36.92%

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

$94.1 Rp 1.7M

$202 MX$3,530

-53.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,609 Rp 136.5M

$5,217 MX$91.3K

45.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.32 Rp 758.9K

$35.93 MX$629

17.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.28 Rp 561.0K

$40.33 MX$706

-22.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 Rp 1.2M

$79.9 MX$1,397

-17.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 Rp 1.3M

$89.3 MX$1,562

-17.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 Rp 4.6M

$948 MX$16.6K

-73.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.8M

$465 MX$8,140

-66.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 Rp 10.7M

$1,630 MX$28.5K

-63.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 Rp 6.0M

$1,193 MX$20.9K

-71.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,323 Rp 23.7M

$3,933 MX$68.8K

-66.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$674 Rp 12.1M

$6,428 MX$112.4K

-89.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Tanjung Pandan: July 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $254 in Tanjung Pandan versus $948 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 $12.00 in Tanjung Pandan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $252 – making Tanjung Pandan 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 86%, 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 $1,016 per month in Tanjung Pandan and $1,888 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 Tanjung Pandan, 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 $678 in Tanjung Pandan and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 159% less in Tanjung Pandan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tanjung Pandan, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Tanjung Pandan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tanjung Pandan – 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 Tanjung Pandan. 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.