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 $1,146 per month in Cheras vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,560 per month in Cheras vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,974 per month in Cheras vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cheras is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cheras and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.06

$13.02 MX$221

-71.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.21 MYR 97.8

$46.25 MX$784

-47.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.54

$12.59 MX$213

-61.56%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.04

$4.00 MX$67.9

-25.50%

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

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$1.42 MX$24.08

-34.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.81 MX$13.73

-35.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.64 MYR 18.76

$3.05 MX$51.7

52.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 MYR 25.04

$6.82 MX$116

-9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 MYR 7.89

$1.71 MX$29.04

14.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.38

$2.22 MX$37.62

-51.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.11

$1.72 MX$29.13

-12.21%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.46

$2.71 MX$45.99

-31.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.13 MYR 73.3

$9.37 MX$159

93.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MYR 18.82

$8.86 MX$150

-47.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 MYR 44.16

$12.78 MX$217

-14.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 MYR 13.87

$3.13 MX$53.0

9.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 MYR 7.88

$1.55 MX$26.24

25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.70

$2.15 MX$36.51

23.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 MYR 6.65

$2.35 MX$39.89

-29.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.51

$2.02 MX$34.23

4.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.02

$1.99 MX$33.67

-12.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MYR 5.31

$1.24 MX$21.09

5.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$1.19 MX$20.21

-57.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.85

$4.65 MX$78.8

-10.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 MYR 56.8

$10.47 MX$177

34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 11.01

$1.58 MX$26.82

72.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.10

$2.92 MX$49.48

2.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.87

$0.56 MX$9.53

26.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.33 MYR 49.81

$29.76 MX$504

-58.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$5.32 MX$90.2

-76.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$3.72 MX$63.0

-90.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.17 MYR 37.03

$5.78 MX$97.9

58.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 MYR 2.91

$1.55 MX$26.27

-53.55%

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

$41.4K MYR 167.2K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

85.03%

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

$34.7K MYR 140.1K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

35.58%

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

$48.32 MYR 195

$89.3 MX$1,513

-45.88%

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

$11.27 MYR 45.55

$23.30 MX$395

-51.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.01 MYR 113

$31.72 MX$538

-11.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 MYR 209

$68.8 MX$1,165

-24.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.80 MYR 19.39

$5.06 MX$85.7

-5.14%

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

$161 MYR 651

$222 MX$3,765

-27.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,468 MYR 18.0K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

4.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 MYR 265

$46.21 MX$783

41.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.59 MYR 120

$44.43 MX$753

-33.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MYR 334

$95.5 MX$1,618

-13.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 MYR 354

$92.5 MX$1,568

-5.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$974 MYR 3,935

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,921

$393 MX$6,663

20.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 MYR 2,933

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-63.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$484 MYR 1,957

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-62.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,170 MYR 4,727

$747 MX$12.7K

56.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

11.6

-65.00%

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

Last update for Cheras: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $974 in Cheras versus $1,069 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 57% 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 $24.00 in Cheras versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $277 – 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 16%, 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 $1,718 per month in Cheras and $1,995 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 2% 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 $24.00 in Cheras and $46.00 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 $1,146, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.