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 $839 per month in Cheras vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,272 per month in Cheras vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,704 per month in Cheras vs $3,082 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 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.30

$11.94 MX$209

-69.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.67 MYR 73.8

$42.75 MX$748

-56.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.07

$10.59 MX$185

-56.75%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$3.62 MX$63.4

-20.44%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.30

$1.47 MX$25.69

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.94 MX$16.51

-51.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.66 MYR 18.41

$3.09 MX$54.1

50.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 MYR 25.60

$4.46 MX$78.0

45.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.43 MX$24.94

32.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.71

$1.88 MX$32.97

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.63 MX$28.50

-24.54%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.51

$2.64 MX$46.26

-18.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.54 MYR 61.4

$8.21 MX$144

89.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 MYR 14.16

$8.29 MX$145

-56.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 MYR 29.79

$11.10 MX$194

-32.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.46

$2.65 MX$46.40

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.50 MX$26.26

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.12

$1.99 MX$34.79

28.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.94

$2.08 MX$36.33

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.06

$1.79 MX$31.29

-14.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$2.18 MX$38.09

-38.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.48

$1.08 MX$18.84

-18.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$1.04 MX$18.15

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.66

$3.97 MX$69.5

6.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 MYR 57.3

$10.20 MX$179

42.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 10.76

$1.73 MX$30.22

57.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 MYR 15.58

$2.50 MX$43.71

58.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.52 MX$9.07

-11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 MYR 46.73

$26.97 MX$472

-56.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.01

$3.14 MX$55.0

-67.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 3.95

$2.40 MX$42.04

-58.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 37.22

$3.09 MX$54.0

204.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$1.27 MX$22.28

-63.78%

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

$49.6K MYR 195.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

60.47%

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

$31.6K MYR 124.8K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

35.52%

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

$40.52 MYR 160

$82.0 MX$1,435

-50.59%

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

$9.18 MYR 36.27

$22.45 MX$393

-59.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 MYR 120

$29.66 MX$519

2.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 MYR 162

$51.9 MX$908

-20.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.87 MYR 23.19

$18.67 MX$327

-68.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.06

$4.97 MX$87.0

2.21%

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

$187 MYR 738

$198 MX$3,462

-5.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,933 MYR 27.4K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

31.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MYR 261

$36.34 MX$636

81.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 MYR 135

$40.05 MX$701

-14.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 293

$79.9 MX$1,398

-7.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.12 MYR 190

$88.9 MX$1,555

-45.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 MYR 1,489

$963 MX$16.9K

-60.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 MYR 913

$465 MX$8,133

-50.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MYR 2,571

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-59.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 MYR 1,693

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-64.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,233 MYR 4,871

$720 MX$12.6K

71.18%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Cheras 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.

Salaries run about 71% 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: $237 vs $251 – 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 $1,259 per month in Cheras 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 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 $839, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.