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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $971 in Gombak versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,435 in Gombak versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,899 in Gombak versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gombak costs roughly 26% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gombak 30% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 MYR 15.24

$11.96 MX$203

-68.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.33 MYR 99.0

$47.38 MX$804

-48.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 MYR 20.51

$11.75 MX$199

-57.11%

Cappuccino

$3.06 MYR 12.45

$4.12 MX$70.0

-25.73%

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

$0.89 MYR 3.61

$1.40 MX$23.74

-36.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.91 MX$15.48

-50.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MYR 13.24

$3.21 MX$54.4

1.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 MYR 23.87

$7.07 MX$120

-16.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 MYR 7.96

$1.68 MX$28.44

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.26

$2.15 MX$36.48

-51.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.77 MX$30.10

-14.69%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.32

$2.82 MX$47.76

-36.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MYR 40.81

$9.20 MX$156

9.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 13.07

$9.23 MX$157

-65.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 39.99

$12.64 MX$214

-22.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 MYR 14.20

$2.95 MX$50.1

18.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 MYR 7.95

$1.58 MX$26.79

23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.78

$2.22 MX$37.70

19.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 MYR 7.43

$2.36 MX$40.09

-22.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MYR 8.61

$1.99 MX$33.81

6.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MYR 8.05

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 MYR 6.13

$1.24 MX$21.04

21.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$1.21 MX$20.55

-56.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 MYR 19.21

$4.60 MX$78.1

2.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.16 MYR 77.9

$10.52 MX$178

82.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MYR 11.03

$1.69 MX$28.70

60.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.38

$2.77 MX$47.06

63.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$0.60 MX$10.22

28.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.29 MYR 49.99

$29.70 MX$504

-58.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$5.24 MX$88.8

-76.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.46

$3.65 MX$61.9

-90.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.46 MYR 38.47

$5.78 MX$98.1

63.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$1.54 MX$26.09

-53.25%

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

$41.8K MYR 170.0K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

83.28%

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

$33.1K MYR 134.7K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

28.30%

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

$49.11 MYR 200

$90.7 MX$1,538

-45.84%

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

$8.30 MYR 33.76

$25.19 MX$427

-67.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.69 MYR 109

$31.75 MX$539

-15.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.92 MYR 166

$68.8 MX$1,167

-40.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.51 MYR 26.47

$29.37 MX$498

-77.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.18 MYR 12.95

$4.86 MX$82.5

-34.57%

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

$285 MYR 1,160

$226 MX$3,828

26.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 42.8K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

151.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 MYR 212

$47.38 MX$804

10.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.69 MYR 121

$43.45 MX$737

-31.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 MYR 318

$80.2 MX$1,361

-2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 MYR 349

$91.4 MX$1,550

-6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 MYR 1,733

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-60.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 MYR 1,338

$409 MX$6,933

-19.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 MYR 2,841

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-64.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,015

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-61.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,104 MYR 8,561

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-47.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,139 MYR 4,634

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-83.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$557 MYR 2,265

$773 MX$13.1K

-28.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

11.45

-60.61%

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

Last update for Gombak: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Gombak and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Gombak vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $278 per month, with Gombak cheaper across the board.

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

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

Gombak wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gombak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $426 in Gombak versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gombak – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $971 in Gombak versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gombak but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gombak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gombak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $971 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gombak hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Gombak and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gombak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.