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 $859 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,762 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $2,990 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 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 MYR 14.36

$11.72 MX$203

-69.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.01 MYR 77.6

$41.89 MX$725

-54.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.72

$10.51 MX$182

-54.04%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 11.30

$3.59 MX$62.0

-22.84%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$1.51 MX$26.10

-52.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.62

$0.92 MX$15.83

-56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 14.06

$2.96 MX$51.2

16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MYR 19.75

$4.41 MX$76.3

9.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.29

$1.40 MX$24.16

27.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$1.88 MX$32.60

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.26

$1.56 MX$26.97

-17.31%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.68

$2.61 MX$45.14

-18.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 MYR 61.8

$8.32 MX$144

81.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$8.35 MX$145

-48.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.43

$10.86 MX$188

-13.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.81

$2.71 MX$46.93

6.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.91

$1.51 MX$26.04

-3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.67

$1.87 MX$32.41

39.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$2.19 MX$37.89

-33.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.86 MX$32.14

-36.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.40

$2.23 MX$38.59

-40.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.23

$1.07 MX$18.48

-2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.27

$1.09 MX$18.79

-49.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.69

$4.19 MX$72.4

3.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 MYR 67.9

$10.43 MX$180

59.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.51

$1.66 MX$28.68

69.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.30

$2.61 MX$45.19

15.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.54 MX$9.37

29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.69 MYR 47.73

$26.16 MX$453

-55.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.73

$3.08 MX$53.3

-62.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$2.40 MX$41.61

-57.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 23.67

$3.13 MX$54.1

85.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$1.31 MX$22.69

-64.89%

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

$35.6K MYR 145.2K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

19.27%

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

$31.8K MYR 130.0K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

36.50%

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

$42.93 MYR 175

$81.3 MX$1,406

-47.18%

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

$9.33 MYR 38.10

$22.56 MX$390

-58.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.91 MYR 118

$30.05 MX$520

-3.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 MYR 150

$52.9 MX$915

-30.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 24.49

$18.39 MX$318

-67.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MYR 19.86

$4.92 MX$85.1

-1.22%

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

$187 MYR 763

$201 MX$3,474

-6.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,800 MYR 27.8K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

31.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 MYR 251

$35.92 MX$622

71.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 MYR 112

$40.13 MX$694

-31.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 MYR 294

$79.7 MX$1,379

-9.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 MYR 210

$86.5 MX$1,496

-40.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,609

$978 MX$16.9K

-59.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,096

$470 MX$8,140

-42.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,639

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-60.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,914

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-61.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 MYR 9,522

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-41.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 MYR 5,191

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-80.76%

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 Kangar, Perlis: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Kangar, Perlis 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 Kangar, Perlis versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $252 – 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: $859 in Kangar, Perlis, $1,260 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 $1,288 per month in Kangar, Perlis 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 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 $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 $859 in Kangar, Perlis 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 Kangar, Perlis, where all-in costs run around $859, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $859 in Kangar, Perlis 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 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.