Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $875 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,342 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,808 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kangar, Perlis and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kangar, Perlis 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 MYR 13.68

$11.94 MX$208

-71.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.11 MYR 75.5

$42.75 MX$744

-55.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 18.70

$10.59 MX$184

-55.34%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.13

$3.62 MX$63.0

-22.10%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.87

$1.47 MX$25.54

-50.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.94 MX$16.41

-61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MYR 13.62

$3.09 MX$53.8

11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$4.46 MX$77.6

9.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.18

$1.43 MX$24.80

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$1.88 MX$32.79

-47.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.96

$1.63 MX$28.34

-22.70%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.32

$2.64 MX$45.99

-20.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 59.6

$8.21 MX$143

83.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 MYR 17.13

$8.29 MX$144

-47.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 MYR 37.35

$11.10 MX$193

-14.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.21

$2.65 MX$46.14

7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.82

$1.50 MX$26.11

-2.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 MYR 9.93

$1.99 MX$34.59

26.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.66

$2.08 MX$36.13

-31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.68

$1.79 MX$31.11

-34.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.09

$2.18 MX$37.87

-40.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.08 MX$18.73

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.18

$1.04 MX$18.04

-47.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.13

$3.97 MX$69.1

9.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 MYR 71.0

$10.20 MX$178

76.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.16

$1.73 MX$30.04

63.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 11.72

$2.50 MX$43.46

18.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$0.52 MX$9.02

40.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.58 MYR 45.75

$26.97 MX$469

-57.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$3.14 MX$54.7

-63.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$2.40 MX$41.80

-58.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MYR 23.49

$3.09 MX$53.7

92.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$1.27 MX$22.16

-60.63%

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

$35.4K MYR 139.7K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

14.52%

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

$31.2K MYR 123.3K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

33.89%

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

$43.03 MYR 170

$82.0 MX$1,427

-47.53%

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

$9.19 MYR 36.31

$22.45 MX$391

-59.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.86 MYR 114

$29.66 MX$516

-2.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 MYR 147

$51.9 MX$903

-28.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.00

$18.67 MX$325

-68.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$4.97 MX$86.5

-1.61%

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

$186 MYR 734

$198 MX$3,442

-6.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,019 MYR 27.7K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

33.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 237

$36.34 MX$632

65.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 MYR 109

$40.05 MX$697

-30.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 290

$79.9 MX$1,390

-7.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.6 MYR 200

$88.9 MX$1,547

-43.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,533

$963 MX$16.8K

-59.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,079

$465 MX$8,086

-41.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,542

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-59.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,825

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-61.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,676 MYR 6,621

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-57.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$950 MYR 3,751

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-85.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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 Kangar, Perlis: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Kangar, Perlis 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $251 – making Kangar, Perlis 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

Kangar, Perlis vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $875 in Kangar, Perlis, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 47% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,312 per month in Kangar, Perlis 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 Kangar, Perlis, 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 Kangar, Perlis 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 $875 in Kangar, Perlis 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 Kangar, Perlis, where all-in costs run around $875, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Kangar, Perlis 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 $875 in Kangar, Perlis 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 Kangar, Perlis. 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.