Cost of Living Comparison Between Kajang, Selangor and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kajang, Selangor and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $925 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,407 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,890 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kajang, Selangor is about 27% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kajang, Selangor and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kajang, Selangor 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.76

$11.72 MX$203

-69.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 MYR 76.1

$41.89 MX$725

-55.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 19.57

$10.51 MX$182

-54.42%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.77

$3.59 MX$62.0

-12.81%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.27

$1.51 MX$26.10

-47.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.92 MX$15.83

-46.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.68 MYR 19.10

$2.96 MX$51.2

58.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 MYR 24.65

$4.41 MX$76.3

36.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.38

$1.40 MX$24.16

29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.88 MX$32.60

-45.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.71

$1.56 MX$26.97

5.13%

Eggs

$1.90 MYR 7.74

$2.61 MX$45.14

-27.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.61 MYR 63.7

$8.32 MX$144

87.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 MYR 20.92

$8.35 MX$145

-38.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 MYR 38.73

$10.86 MX$188

-12.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.82

$2.71 MX$46.93

7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.60

$1.51 MX$26.04

7.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.74

$1.87 MX$32.41

53.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$2.19 MX$37.89

-15.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.19

$1.86 MX$32.14

-18.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.08

$2.23 MX$38.59

-21.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$1.07 MX$18.48

14.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.12

$1.09 MX$18.79

-52.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.04

$4.19 MX$72.4

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 MYR 57.8

$10.43 MX$180

35.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.25

$1.66 MX$28.68

66.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.27

$2.61 MX$45.19

14.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.54 MX$9.37

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 47.76

$26.16 MX$453

-55.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$3.08 MX$53.3

-61.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$2.40 MX$41.61

-57.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 MYR 19.15

$3.13 MX$54.1

49.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.31 MX$22.69

-64.89%

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

$35.6K MYR 145.4K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

19.44%

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

$33.1K MYR 135.2K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

41.97%

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

$46.16 MYR 188

$81.3 MX$1,406

-43.21%

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

$9.60 MYR 39.19

$22.56 MX$390

-57.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.97 MYR 126

$30.05 MX$520

3.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 MYR 150

$52.9 MX$915

-30.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 24.39

$18.39 MX$318

-67.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.74

$4.92 MX$85.1

3.25%

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

$214 MYR 875

$201 MX$3,474

6.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,982 MYR 28.5K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

34.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 245

$35.92 MX$622

67.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.70 MYR 154

$40.13 MX$694

-6.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 MYR 349

$79.7 MX$1,379

7.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 MYR 292

$86.5 MX$1,496

-17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,605

$978 MX$16.9K

-59.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,100

$470 MX$8,140

-42.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,608

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-61.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,896

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-61.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,029 MYR 8,284

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-48.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,213 MYR 4,951

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-81.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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 Kajang, Selangor: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Kajang, Selangor 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 $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Kajang, Selangor 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

Kajang, Selangor vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $925 in Kajang, Selangor, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 36% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,387 per month in Kajang, Selangor 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 Kajang, Selangor, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Kajang, Selangor and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kajang, Selangor, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Kajang, Selangor 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 $925 in Kajang, Selangor 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 Kajang, Selangor. 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.