Cost of Living Comparison Between Kepong and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kepong and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $759 per month in Kepong vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,251 per month in Kepong vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,742 per month in Kepong vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kepong is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kepong and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kepong 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 MYR 14.35

$11.99 MX$210

-70.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.79 MYR 76.9

$41.78 MX$733

-55.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 19.11

$10.75 MX$189

-56.56%

Cappuccino

$2.80 MYR 11.46

$3.50 MX$61.3

-20.00%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.49

$1.45 MX$25.41

-41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.88 MX$15.52

-59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 MYR 14.79

$2.95 MX$51.7

22.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 MYR 21.18

$4.51 MX$79.1

14.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.34

$1.43 MX$25.12

25.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MYR 3.92

$1.84 MX$32.23

-47.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$1.57 MX$27.51

-16.56%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 9.13

$2.51 MX$44.06

-11.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.55 MYR 63.6

$8.28 MX$145

87.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MYR 20.91

$8.43 MX$148

-39.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 MYR 43.50

$10.68 MX$187

-0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.23

$2.61 MX$45.76

5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.07

$1.44 MX$25.22

20.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 MYR 10.05

$1.96 MX$34.41

25.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$2.09 MX$36.74

-39.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.93

$1.85 MX$32.47

-21.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$2.17 MX$38.02

-36.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.68

$1.03 MX$18.09

-12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$1.07 MX$18.84

-41.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MYR 17.39

$4.10 MX$72.0

3.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 MYR 58.4

$10.17 MX$178

40.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.41

$1.68 MX$29.38

66.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.27

$2.53 MX$44.31

18.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.79

$0.51 MX$8.93

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.79 MYR 48.24

$26.04 MX$457

-54.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 4.00

$3.23 MX$56.7

-69.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.03

$2.41 MX$42.19

-58.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.17 MYR 37.51

$3.23 MX$56.6

183.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.90

$1.32 MX$23.17

-65.15%

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

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

4.35%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.6K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

19.45%

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

$44.92 MYR 184

$82.0 MX$1,439

-45.23%

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

$9.03 MYR 36.95

$22.95 MX$403

-60.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.55 MYR 96.3

$30.11 MX$528

-21.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.74 MYR 130

$52.0 MX$912

-38.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 MYR 24.63

$18.53 MX$325

-67.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 MYR 19.73

$4.98 MX$87.3

-3.21%

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

$213 MYR 870

$197 MX$3,463

7.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,874 MYR 28.1K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

28.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.81 MYR 200

$35.60 MX$624

37.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.01 MYR 94.1

$40.33 MX$707

-42.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 MYR 284

$78.8 MX$1,381

-11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.68 MYR 199

$88.9 MX$1,560

-45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 MYR 1,026

$947 MX$16.6K

-73.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 MYR 726

$474 MX$8,314

-62.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 MYR 2,449

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-63.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 MYR 1,720

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-65.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,038 MYR 8,336

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-49.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 MYR 4,673

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-82.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$666 MYR 2,722

$654 MX$11.5K

1.79%

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 Kepong: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in Kepong versus $947 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 2% higher in Kepong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kepong versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Kepong vs $249 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

Kepong vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $759 in Kepong, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 65% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,139 per month in Kepong and $1,884 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 Kepong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 121% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $213 per month in Kepong and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kepong, where all-in costs run around $759, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Kepong 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 $759 in Kepong to $1,256 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 Kepong. 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.