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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $672 per month in Tanjung Pinang vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,055 per month in Tanjung Pinang vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,438 per month in Tanjung Pinang vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Both Tanjung Pinang and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tanjung Pinang 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 Rp 65.9K

$11.87 MX$204

-69.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.20 Rp 218.6K

$42.90 MX$736

-71.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.42 Rp 61.2K

$10.65 MX$183

-67.89%

Cappuccino

$1.71 Rp 30.7K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-50.43%

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

$0.52 Rp 9,254

$1.50 MX$25.81

-65.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,598

$0.95 MX$16.28

-72.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 Rp 45.3K

$3.03 MX$51.9

-16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 Rp 62.9K

$4.61 MX$79.1

-23.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.38 MX$23.61

-15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

$1.85 MX$31.70

-38.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.1K

$1.61 MX$27.65

-40.37%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.7K

$2.59 MX$44.51

-44.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Rp 142.6K

$8.26 MX$142

-3.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 Rp 55.2K

$8.37 MX$144

-63.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 142.3K

$10.66 MX$183

-25.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 42.6K

$2.63 MX$45.12

-9.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.49 MX$25.53

-2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

$1.92 MX$32.94

-2.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

$2.09 MX$35.81

-27.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.86 MX$31.88

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.9K

$2.26 MX$38.81

-16.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 Rp 17.3K

$1.06 MX$18.23

-9.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,423

$1.09 MX$18.67

-62.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 Rp 36.3K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-51.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.69 Rp 406.5K

$10.39 MX$178

118.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 Rp 36.7K

$1.72 MX$29.59

19.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 55.0K

$2.61 MX$44.85

17.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,794

$0.54 MX$9.30

-40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.69 Rp 173.7K

$26.94 MX$462

-64.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

$3.13 MX$53.7

-81.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,693

$2.51 MX$43.09

-85.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

$3.15 MX$54.1

-8.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$1.27 MX$21.88

-42.52%

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

$24.7K Rp 443.2M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-18.56%

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

$27.7K Rp 496.7M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

17.64%

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

$69.7 Rp 1.2M

$83.0 MX$1,425

-15.98%

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

$4.38 Rp 78.4K

$22.71 MX$390

-80.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.37 Rp 400.7K

$29.46 MX$506

-24.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.47 Rp 420.4K

$51.0 MX$875

-53.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.25 Rp 112.0K

$18.33 MX$315

-65.90%

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 Rp 46.2K

$4.93 MX$84.5

-47.67%

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

$95.0 Rp 1.7M

$197 MX$3,386

-51.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,690 Rp 137.8M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

45.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.99 Rp 734.4K

$36.90 MX$633

11.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.59 Rp 548.0K

$39.89 MX$685

-23.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 Rp 1.2M

$80.0 MX$1,373

-16.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$89.5 MX$1,536

-18.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$956 MX$16.4K

-73.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$477 MX$8,189

-67.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 Rp 10.5M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-64.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 Rp 5.9M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-72.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,102 Rp 19.7M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-71.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$718 Rp 12.9M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-88.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$197 Rp 3.5M

$667 MX$11.4K

-70.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

11.42

-43.08%

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

Last update for Tanjung Pinang: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Tanjung Pinang versus $956 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 239% 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 $12.00 in Tanjung Pinang versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $250 – making Tanjung Pinang 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 Pinang vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 89%, 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 $1,008 per month in Tanjung Pinang and $1,906 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 Pinang, 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 $672 in Tanjung Pinang and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 178% less in Tanjung Pinang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tanjung Pinang, where all-in costs run around $672, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Tanjung Pinang 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 Pinang – 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 Pinang. 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.