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 $865 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,324 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,782 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $2,980 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 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 MYR 14.62

$11.87 MX$204

-69.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.02 MYR 77.1

$42.90 MX$736

-55.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.63

$10.65 MX$183

-56.90%

Cappuccino

$2.90 MYR 11.74

$3.45 MX$59.2

-15.94%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.91

$1.50 MX$25.81

-52.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.95 MX$16.28

-61.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.49

$3.03 MX$51.9

17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 MYR 20.61

$4.61 MX$79.1

10.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.67

$1.38 MX$23.61

36.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.08

$1.85 MX$31.70

-45.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.20

$1.61 MX$27.65

-20.50%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.40

$2.59 MX$44.51

-20.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.20 MYR 61.6

$8.26 MX$142

84.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 MYR 17.35

$8.37 MX$144

-48.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 MYR 37.25

$10.66 MX$183

-13.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.66

$2.63 MX$45.12

9.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.21

$1.49 MX$25.53

2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.25

$1.92 MX$32.94

31.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.81

$2.09 MX$35.81

-31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.81

$1.86 MX$31.88

-36.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.20

$2.26 MX$38.81

-43.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$1.06 MX$18.23

-5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.25

$1.09 MX$18.67

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.48

$4.15 MX$71.2

3.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.52 MYR 79.2

$10.39 MX$178

87.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.49

$1.72 MX$29.59

64.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.12

$2.61 MX$44.85

14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.54 MX$9.30

27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.73 MYR 47.57

$26.94 MX$462

-56.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.67

$3.13 MX$53.7

-63.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$2.51 MX$43.09

-59.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 24.48

$3.15 MX$54.1

91.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$1.27 MX$21.88

-61.42%

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

$34.9K MYR 141.7K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

15.07%

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

$30.9K MYR 125.2K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

31.05%

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

$44.11 MYR 179

$83.0 MX$1,425

-46.86%

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

$9.05 MYR 36.71

$22.71 MX$390

-60.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MYR 119

$29.46 MX$506

-0.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.25 MYR 147

$51.0 MX$875

-28.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 24.17

$18.33 MX$315

-67.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.84

$4.93 MX$84.5

-0.81%

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

$186 MYR 754

$197 MX$3,386

-5.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,789 MYR 27.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

28.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MYR 250

$36.90 MX$633

67.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.17 MYR 110

$39.89 MX$685

-31.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 MYR 296

$80.0 MX$1,373

-8.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.96 MYR 203

$89.5 MX$1,536

-44.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,552

$956 MX$16.4K

-59.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 MYR 1,113

$477 MX$8,189

-42.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 MYR 2,664

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-60.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,916

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-61.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,212 MYR 8,968

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-43.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$919 MYR 3,728

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-85.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Kangar, Perlis versus $956 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. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Kangar, Perlis vs $250 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $865 in Kangar, Perlis, $1,271 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 $1,298 per month in Kangar, Perlis and $1,906 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 $865 in Kangar, Perlis and $1,271 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 $865, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $865 in Kangar, Perlis to $1,271 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.