---
title: "Canggu (Bali) vs Playa del Carmen for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/canggu-vs-playa-del-carmen
description: "Under balanced weights Playa del Carmen edges it, 59 to 49, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Canggu (Bali) is stronger on safety, cost of living; Playa del Carmen on visa ease, getting there & around, internet. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Canggu (Bali) vs Playa del Carmen for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Playa del Carmen edges it, 59 to 49, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Canggu (Bali) is stronger on safety, cost of living; Playa del Carmen on visa ease, getting there & around, internet. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Canggu (Bali) | Playa del Carmen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 65 | 53 | Canggu (Bali) |
| Safety | 50 | 23 | Canggu (Bali) |
| Healthcare | 53 | 65 | Playa del Carmen |
| Internet | 49 | 63 | Playa del Carmen |
| Visa ease | 22 | 90 | Playa del Carmen |
| Getting there & around | 9 | 34 | Playa del Carmen |
| Climate | 67 | 58 | Canggu (Bali) |
| Air quality | 85 | 91 | Playa del Carmen |
| Quality of life | 45 | 54 | Playa del Carmen |

## Cost

| Metric | Canggu (Bali) | Playa del Carmen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,042 | $1,376 | Canggu (Bali) |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $897 | $738 | Playa del Carmen |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Canggu (Bali) | Playa del Carmen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 4.1 | 28.2 | Canggu (Bali) |
| Political stability (0–100) | 55.5 | 53.7 | Canggu (Bali) |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 67 | 79 | Playa del Carmen |
| Life expectancy | 68.3 yrs | 70.8 yrs | Playa del Carmen |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Canggu (Bali) | Playa del Carmen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 17.9 Mbps | 34.6 Mbps | Playa del Carmen |
| Upload | 9.4 Mbps | 16.8 Mbps | Playa del Carmen |

## Visa

| Metric | Canggu (Bali) | Playa del Carmen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Visa Rumah Kedua Pekerja Jarak Jauh | none listed | Canggu (Bali) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $4,998/mo | no data | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | visa or e-visa required | 180 days | Playa del Carmen |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | visa or e-visa required | 180 days | Playa del Carmen |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | visa or e-visa required | 180 days | Playa del Carmen |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Canggu (Bali) | Playa del Carmen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 65 | 134 | Playa del Carmen |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 4 | Playa del Carmen |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Canggu (Bali) | Playa del Carmen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 8 | 7 | Canggu (Bali) |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 11.9 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | Playa del Carmen |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Canggu (Bali) or Playa del Carmen?

Canggu (Bali) is cheaper: about $1,042 per month versus $1,376 for one person.

### Is Canggu (Bali) or Playa del Carmen safer?

Canggu (Bali) scores higher on safety (50 vs 23), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Canggu (Bali) or Playa del Carmen?

Playa del Carmen: a measured median of 34.6 Mbps versus 17.9 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Canggu (Bali)](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/canggu) · [Playa del Carmen](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/playa-del-carmen). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages).

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