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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $829 per month in Cheras vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,293 per month in Cheras vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,757 per month in Cheras vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cheras is about 35% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cheras and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 MYR 14.13

$11.87 MX$204

-70.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.1

$42.90 MX$736

-56.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.63

$10.65 MX$183

-56.90%

Cappuccino

$3.03 MYR 12.27

$3.45 MX$59.2

-12.17%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.19

$1.50 MX$25.81

-47.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.95 MX$16.28

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.78 MYR 19.38

$3.03 MX$51.9

57.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 MYR 26.94

$4.61 MX$79.1

44.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.28

$1.38 MX$23.61

29.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.77

$1.85 MX$31.70

-49.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$1.61 MX$27.65

-21.74%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.37

$2.59 MX$44.51

-20.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.44 MYR 62.6

$8.26 MX$142

86.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 MYR 14.50

$8.37 MX$144

-57.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 MYR 30.26

$10.66 MX$183

-30.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$2.63 MX$45.12

4.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.14

$1.49 MX$25.53

18.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.92

$1.92 MX$32.94

27.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.09

$2.09 MX$35.81

-39.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.16

$1.86 MX$31.88

-18.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.43

$2.26 MX$38.81

-40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MYR 3.79

$1.06 MX$18.23

-12.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.28

$1.09 MX$18.67

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.26

$4.15 MX$71.2

2.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 MYR 58.8

$10.39 MX$178

39.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.48

$1.72 MX$29.59

64.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 MYR 15.33

$2.61 MX$44.85

44.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.54 MX$9.30

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 48.44

$26.94 MX$462

-55.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.95

$3.13 MX$53.7

-68.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$2.51 MX$43.09

-59.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.49 MYR 38.47

$3.15 MX$54.1

201.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$1.27 MX$21.88

-61.42%

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

$49.4K MYR 200.2K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

62.53%

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

$31.7K MYR 128.6K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

34.62%

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

$41.77 MYR 169

$83.0 MX$1,425

-49.67%

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

$9.30 MYR 37.72

$22.71 MX$390

-59.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.42 MYR 123

$29.46 MX$506

3.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.98 MYR 166

$51.0 MX$875

-19.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 MYR 23.23

$18.33 MX$315

-68.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MYR 20.62

$4.93 MX$84.5

3.25%

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

$190 MYR 769

$197 MX$3,386

-3.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,818 MYR 27.6K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

29.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 MYR 262

$36.90 MX$633

75.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.30 MYR 139

$39.89 MX$685

-14.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 MYR 300

$80.0 MX$1,373

-7.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.61 MYR 197

$89.5 MX$1,536

-45.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,507

$956 MX$16.4K

-61.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 MYR 961

$477 MX$8,189

-50.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,661

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-60.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 MYR 1,703

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-65.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,175 MYR 4,765

$667 MX$11.4K

76.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

11.42

-64.36%

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

Last update for Cheras: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $372 in Cheras 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 76% higher in Cheras, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $250 – making Cheras 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 53%, 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 $1,244 per month in Cheras 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 Cheras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cheras, where all-in costs run around $829, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Cheras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cheras – 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 Cheras. 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.