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 $939 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,889 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kajang, Selangor is about 26% 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 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 MYR 14.85

$11.60 MX$200

-68.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.82 MYR 89.1

$47.11 MX$812

-53.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.51

$11.88 MX$205

-59.76%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.75

$3.98 MX$68.6

-27.64%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.25

$1.43 MX$24.60

-44.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.80

$0.82 MX$14.22

-46.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 MYR 17.87

$3.19 MX$55.0

37.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 MYR 24.88

$6.79 MX$117

-10.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.80

$1.68 MX$28.89

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.34

$2.20 MX$37.88

-51.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$1.71 MX$29.45

-16.37%

Eggs

$1.75 MYR 7.14

$2.74 MX$47.26

-36.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.09 MYR 73.8

$9.58 MX$165

88.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 19.10

$9.01 MX$155

-48.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.00 MYR 40.83

$12.81 MX$221

-21.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 MYR 13.32

$2.89 MX$49.81

12.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.84

$1.50 MX$25.81

11.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 MYR 9.89

$2.15 MX$37.03

12.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$2.26 MX$38.96

-26.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.41

$1.98 MX$34.15

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$1.99 MX$34.30

-13.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$1.23 MX$21.28

-6.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$1.20 MX$20.63

-54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MYR 17.17

$4.55 MX$78.5

-7.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 MYR 57.0

$10.37 MX$179

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.79

$1.62 MX$27.91

78.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MYR 12.85

$2.88 MX$49.67

9.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$0.60 MX$10.35

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.11 MYR 49.42

$28.80 MX$497

-57.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$5.39 MX$92.9

-77.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 MYR 3.11

$3.73 MX$64.3

-79.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 MYR 20.60

$5.77 MX$99.5

-12.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$1.54 MX$26.48

-50.65%

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

$41.7K MYR 170.2K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

84.88%

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

$34.6K MYR 141.4K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

32.89%

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

$53.6 MYR 219

$91.4 MX$1,576

-41.40%

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

$10.09 MYR 41.19

$25.20 MX$435

-59.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.82 MYR 105

$31.24 MX$539

-17.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.02 MYR 184

$67.2 MX$1,159

-33.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.07 MYR 28.87

$29.11 MX$502

-75.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 MYR 19.51

$4.86 MX$83.8

-1.65%

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

$218 MYR 890

$224 MX$3,856

-2.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,492 MYR 18.3K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

6.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 MYR 274

$47.10 MX$812

42.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.55 MYR 67.6

$44.29 MX$764

-62.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 MYR 331

$80.1 MX$1,381

1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.77 MYR 166

$92.7 MX$1,598

-56.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,877

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-56.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,158

$390 MX$6,728

-27.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,622

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-70.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 MYR 1,750

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-66.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,207 MYR 9,012

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-44.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,075 MYR 4,387

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-83.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

11.45

-64.54%

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

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Kajang, Selangor versus $1,063 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 $22.00 in Kajang, Selangor versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $276 – making Kajang, Selangor 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $939 in Kajang, Selangor, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 35% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,409 per month in Kajang, Selangor and $1,899 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 $22.00 in Kajang, Selangor and $47.00 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 $939 in Kajang, Selangor and $1,266 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 $939, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $939 in Kajang, Selangor to $1,266 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.