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 $1,736 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,152 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,568 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Uluwatu, Bali costs about 35% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Uluwatu, Bali sits 30% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 Rp 74.7K

$11.94 MX$208

-63.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.42 Rp 663.4K

$42.75 MX$744

-10.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 Rp 105.6K

$10.59 MX$184

-42.30%

Cappuccino

$3.45 Rp 59.5K

$3.62 MX$63.0

-4.70%

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

$1.67 Rp 28.9K

$1.47 MX$25.54

13.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 Rp 15.2K

$0.94 MX$16.41

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 Rp 61.1K

$3.09 MX$53.8

14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 Rp 79.3K

$4.46 MX$77.6

2.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 Rp 31.0K

$1.43 MX$24.80

25.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 Rp 44.3K

$1.88 MX$32.79

36.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 21.6K

$1.63 MX$28.34

-23.31%

Eggs

$2.53 Rp 43.7K

$2.64 MX$45.99

-4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.00 Rp 258.9K

$8.21 MX$143

82.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 Rp 78.6K

$8.29 MX$144

-45.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 Rp 217.4K

$11.10 MX$193

13.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 Rp 68.0K

$2.65 MX$46.14

48.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.4K

$1.50 MX$26.11

9.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 48.9K

$1.99 MX$34.59

42.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 Rp 42.5K

$2.08 MX$36.13

18.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 Rp 36.3K

$1.79 MX$31.11

17.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 Rp 41.5K

$2.18 MX$37.87

10.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.4K

$1.08 MX$18.73

-1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 Rp 13.9K

$1.04 MX$18.04

-22.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 Rp 58.9K

$3.97 MX$69.1

-14.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.50 Rp 423.1K

$10.20 MX$178

140.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 Rp 52.2K

$1.73 MX$30.04

74.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 50.1K

$2.50 MX$43.46

16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 Rp 6,306

$0.52 MX$9.02

-28.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.50 Rp 181.3K

$26.97 MX$469

-61.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 Rp 10.5K

$3.14 MX$54.7

-80.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 Rp 9,179

$2.40 MX$41.80

-77.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 Rp 129.0K

$3.09 MX$53.7

141.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 Rp 17.6K

$1.27 MX$22.16

-19.69%

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

$32.5K Rp 561.7M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

5.34%

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

$40.8K Rp 704.2M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

74.92%

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

$88.8 Rp 1.5M

$82.0 MX$1,427

8.28%

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

$4.30 Rp 74.3K

$22.45 MX$391

-80.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.71 Rp 461.2K

$29.66 MX$516

-9.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$114 Rp 2.0M

$51.9 MX$903

119.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.54 Rp 130.2K

$18.67 MX$325

-59.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 Rp 83.3K

$4.97 MX$86.5

-3.02%

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

$336 Rp 5.8M

$198 MX$3,442

69.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,640 Rp 131.9M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

44.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 Rp 1.0M

$36.34 MX$632

66.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 Rp 727.5K

$40.05 MX$697

5.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 Rp 1.7M

$79.9 MX$1,390

21.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.2 Rp 1.5M

$88.9 MX$1,547

-5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,345 Rp 23.2M

$963 MX$16.8K

39.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 Rp 15.4M

$465 MX$8,086

91.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,556 Rp 78.7M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

185.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,822 Rp 48.7M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

133.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,025 Rp 69.5M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

2.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,190 Rp 55.1M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-50.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,345 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $963 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 Uluwatu, Bali versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $312 in Uluwatu, Bali vs $251 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 35%, 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 $2,604 per month in Uluwatu, Bali and $1,930 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 $1,736 in Uluwatu, Bali and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 157% 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 $1,287, than in Uluwatu, Bali at $1,736. 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.