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 $941 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,420 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,899 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $3,082 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 30% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MYR 14.14

$11.94 MX$208

-70.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.21 MYR 75.9

$42.75 MX$744

-55.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$10.59 MX$184

-55.81%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.35

$3.62 MX$63.0

-13.54%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.32

$1.47 MX$25.54

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.94 MX$16.41

-47.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 MYR 18.68

$3.09 MX$53.8

53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 MYR 23.56

$4.46 MX$77.6

33.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.09

$1.43 MX$24.80

25.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.16

$1.88 MX$32.79

-44.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.62

$1.63 MX$28.34

3.07%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.21

$2.64 MX$45.99

-30.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.70 MYR 62.0

$8.21 MX$143

91.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 MYR 19.93

$8.29 MX$144

-39.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 MYR 39.15

$11.10 MX$193

-10.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MYR 11.65

$2.65 MX$46.14

11.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.43

$1.50 MX$26.11

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 10.92

$1.99 MX$34.59

38.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 MYR 7.42

$2.08 MX$36.13

-9.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.79 MX$31.11

-15.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.09

$2.18 MX$37.87

-17.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 4.82

$1.08 MX$18.73

12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.19

$1.04 MX$18.04

-47.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.03

$3.97 MX$69.1

8.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.24 MYR 76.0

$10.20 MX$178

88.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 10.79

$1.73 MX$30.04

57.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.50

$2.50 MX$43.46

16.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.52 MX$9.02

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 47.19

$26.97 MX$469

-55.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$3.14 MX$54.7

-61.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$2.40 MX$41.80

-58.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 MYR 18.09

$3.09 MX$53.7

48.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$1.27 MX$22.16

-61.42%

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

$34.7K MYR 137.2K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

12.49%

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

$32.6K MYR 128.7K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

39.70%

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

$45.66 MYR 180

$82.0 MX$1,427

-44.32%

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

$9.57 MYR 37.79

$22.45 MX$391

-57.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.09 MYR 123

$29.66 MX$516

4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.47 MYR 148

$51.9 MX$903

-27.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.92

$18.67 MX$325

-68.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.02 MYR 19.82

$4.97 MX$86.5

1.01%

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

$209 MYR 827

$198 MX$3,442

5.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,850 MYR 27.1K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

29.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 MYR 244

$36.34 MX$632

69.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.64 MYR 149

$40.05 MX$697

-6.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 MYR 343

$79.9 MX$1,390

8.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$88.9 MX$1,547

-19.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,532

$963 MX$16.8K

-59.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,077

$465 MX$8,086

-41.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MYR 2,548

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-59.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,834

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-61.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 MYR 6,777

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-56.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,022 MYR 4,038

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-84.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$630 MYR 2,490

$720 MX$12.5K

-12.50%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Kajang, Selangor 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 14% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Kajang, Selangor vs $251 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: $941 in Kajang, Selangor, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 37% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,412 per month in Kajang, Selangor 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 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 $43.00 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 $941 in Kajang, Selangor and $1,287 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 $941, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $941 in Kajang, Selangor to $1,287 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.