Cost of Living Comparison Between Butterworth and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Butterworth and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $846 per month in Butterworth vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,306 per month in Butterworth vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,766 per month in Butterworth vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Butterworth is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Butterworth and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Butterworth 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 MYR 12.58

$11.72 MX$203

-73.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.93 MYR 85.5

$41.89 MX$726

-50.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 19.11

$10.51 MX$182

-55.47%

Cappuccino

$2.85 MYR 11.65

$3.59 MX$62.1

-20.61%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$1.51 MX$26.13

-52.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.38

$0.92 MX$15.86

-63.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.53

$2.96 MX$51.2

44.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 MYR 17.78

$4.41 MX$76.4

-1.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.36

$1.40 MX$24.19

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.21

$1.88 MX$32.65

-45.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$1.56 MX$27.01

7.05%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.66

$2.61 MX$45.20

-18.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.62 MYR 59.7

$8.32 MX$144

75.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 MYR 19.25

$8.35 MX$145

-43.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.52

$10.86 MX$188

-8.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 MYR 11.43

$2.71 MX$47.00

3.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 6.00

$1.51 MX$26.08

-2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.96

$1.87 MX$32.46

43.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.21

$2.19 MX$37.94

-30.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.86 MX$32.18

-38.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$2.23 MX$38.64

-47.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.68

$1.07 MX$18.51

-15.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.85

$1.09 MX$18.82

-58.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 MYR 17.83

$4.19 MX$72.5

4.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.14 MYR 74.1

$10.43 MX$181

73.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.02

$1.66 MX$28.72

62.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 14.19

$2.61 MX$45.26

32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.54 MX$9.39

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.55 MYR 47.16

$26.16 MX$453

-55.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$3.08 MX$53.3

-77.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$2.40 MX$41.66

-79.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MYR 18.86

$3.13 MX$54.2

47.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.31 MX$22.72

-62.60%

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

$33.5K MYR 136.8K

$29.8K MX$516.4K

12.40%

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

$27.6K MYR 112.5K

$23.3K MX$404.1K

18.16%

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

$39.20 MYR 160

$81.3 MX$1,408

-51.77%

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

$10.29 MYR 42.00

$22.56 MX$391

-54.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.61 MYR 105

$30.05 MX$521

-14.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 MYR 149

$52.9 MX$917

-31.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 24.33

$18.39 MX$319

-67.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MYR 20.13

$4.92 MX$85.2

0.20%

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

$239 MYR 975

$201 MX$3,479

18.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,139 MYR 25.1K

$5,175 MX$89.7K

18.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 MYR 222

$35.92 MX$622

51.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.06 MYR 119

$40.13 MX$695

-27.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 MYR 248

$79.7 MX$1,381

-23.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 MYR 216

$86.5 MX$1,498

-38.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,556

$978 MX$16.9K

-61.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,118

$470 MX$8,152

-41.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,646

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-60.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,940

$1,203 MX$20.9K

-60.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,072 MYR 8,459

$3,953 MX$68.5K

-47.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,150 MYR 4,698

$6,607 MX$114.5K

-82.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

11.42

-63.57%

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

Last update for Butterworth: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Butterworth versus $978 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 $21.00 in Butterworth versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Butterworth vs $252 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $846 in Butterworth, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 49% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,268 per month in Butterworth and $1,890 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 Butterworth, 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 $846 in Butterworth and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 126% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Butterworth, where all-in costs run around $846, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Butterworth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $846 in Butterworth to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Butterworth. 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.