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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,744 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,142 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,540 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Uluwatu, Bali costs about 37% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Uluwatu, Bali sits 30% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.17 Rp 74.7K

$11.87 MX$204

-64.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 Rp 698.4K

$42.90 MX$736

-9.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 Rp 106.2K

$10.65 MX$183

-44.32%

Cappuccino

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-4.64%

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

$1.66 Rp 29.8K

$1.50 MX$25.81

10.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

$0.95 MX$16.28

-6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 Rp 63.0K

$3.03 MX$51.9

16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 Rp 82.5K

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

$1.38 MX$23.61

36.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 Rp 47.7K

$1.85 MX$31.70

43.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

$1.61 MX$27.65

-26.09%

Eggs

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$2.59 MX$44.51

-4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.09 Rp 270.3K

$8.26 MX$142

82.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.40 Rp 78.9K

$8.37 MX$144

-47.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.47 Rp 223.5K

$10.66 MX$183

16.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 Rp 69.7K

$2.63 MX$45.12

47.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 Rp 30.2K

$1.49 MX$25.53

13.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.92 MX$32.94

46.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 43.2K

$2.09 MX$35.81

15.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 36.1K

$1.86 MX$31.88

8.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.4K

$2.26 MX$38.81

4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$1.06 MX$18.23

1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$1.09 MX$18.67

-25.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 Rp 62.1K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-16.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.07 Rp 431.3K

$10.39 MX$178

131.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 Rp 53.2K

$1.72 MX$29.59

72.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 51.1K

$2.61 MX$44.85

9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,990

$0.54 MX$9.30

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.26 Rp 183.9K

$26.94 MX$462

-61.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 Rp 11.0K

$3.13 MX$53.7

-80.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 Rp 9,557

$2.51 MX$43.09

-78.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 Rp 140.7K

$3.15 MX$54.1

149.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

$1.27 MX$21.88

-18.90%

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

$32.7K Rp 585.0M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

7.50%

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

$39.5K Rp 708.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

67.82%

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

$86.4 Rp 1.5M

$83.0 MX$1,425

4.08%

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

$4.38 Rp 78.5K

$22.71 MX$390

-80.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.99 Rp 465.7K

$29.46 MX$506

-11.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$113 Rp 2.0M

$51.0 MX$875

121.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 Rp 139.1K

$18.33 MX$315

-57.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 Rp 86.4K

$4.93 MX$84.5

-2.23%

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

$339 Rp 6.1M

$197 MX$3,386

71.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,366 Rp 132.0M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

39.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 Rp 1.0M

$36.90 MX$633

58.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.81 Rp 749.0K

$39.89 MX$685

4.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 Rp 1.7M

$80.0 MX$1,373

18.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 Rp 1.6M

$89.5 MX$1,536

-3.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 Rp 24.6M

$956 MX$16.4K

43.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$919 Rp 16.5M

$477 MX$8,189

92.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,635 Rp 83.0M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

181.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,804 Rp 50.2M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

128.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,664 Rp 65.6M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-6.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,073 Rp 55.1M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-52.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 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 Uluwatu, Bali: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,375 in Uluwatu, Bali 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $311 in Uluwatu, Bali vs $250 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

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

Yes – Uluwatu, Bali is pricier by about 37%, 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 $2,615 per month in Uluwatu, Bali 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 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 $1,744 in Uluwatu, Bali 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 163% 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 $1,271, than in Uluwatu, Bali at $1,744. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uluwatu, 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, Uluwatu, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.