Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kepong and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Kepong: $896 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Kepong
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Kepong Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Kepong

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$896

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kepong and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kepong and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $896 per month in Kepong vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kepong $896
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,392 per month in Kepong vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kepong $1,392
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,888 per month in Kepong vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kepong $1,888
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Kepong is about 26% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kepong and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kepong 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 MYR 15.28

$10.92 MX$204

-65.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.13 MYR 98.6

$43.37 MX$810

-44.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 MYR 20.38

$11.78 MX$220

-57.64%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.17

$3.81 MX$71.2

-21.78%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.50

$1.28 MX$23.96

-32.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MYR 1.69

$0.78 MX$14.63

-47.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 MYR 13.39

$3.17 MX$59.2

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 MYR 22.85

$4.93 MX$92.2

13.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 7.11

$1.41 MX$26.28

23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.21

$2.22 MX$41.43

-53.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.79

$1.42 MX$26.48

Eggs

$1.82 MYR 7.45

$2.52 MX$47.14

-27.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 MYR 40.15

$7.26 MX$136

35.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 MYR 13.56

$7.70 MX$144

-56.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 MYR 37.96

$12.69 MX$237

-26.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.89

$2.78 MX$52.0

22.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.09

$1.37 MX$25.56

27.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.73

$2.55 MX$47.66

2.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.79

$2.12 MX$39.67

-21.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.95

$1.94 MX$36.22

-24.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.04

$1.89 MX$35.24

-8.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MYR 5.40

$1.15 MX$21.42

14.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$1.18 MX$22.03

-56.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 MYR 17.87

$4.30 MX$80.3

1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 MYR 56.5

$9.95 MX$186

38.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.80

$1.58 MX$29.59

67.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.34

$2.67 MX$49.91

13.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 MYR 3.35

$0.55 MX$10.34

49.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.44 MYR 50.8

$26.62 MX$497

-53.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$4.97 MX$92.9

-80.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.44

$3.33 MX$62.2

-89.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 MYR 36.21

$5.36 MX$100

65.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 MYR 3.60

$1.44 MX$26.98

-38.89%

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

$43.6K MYR 178.2K

$20.7K MX$386.2K

110.94%

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

$34.8K MYR 142.4K

$23.5K MX$438.5K

48.44%

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

$49.67 MYR 203

$84.8 MX$1,584

-41.42%

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

$8.29 MYR 33.88

$23.41 MX$437

-64.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.18 MYR 111

$28.66 MX$535

-5.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.69 MYR 166

$57.1 MX$1,066

-28.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.25 MYR 25.55

$28.91 MX$540

-78.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.81

$5.14 MX$96.0

-5.64%

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

$238 MYR 971

$207 MX$3,860

15.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,440 MYR 18.1K

$3,927 MX$73.4K

13.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 MYR 218

$43.35 MX$810

22.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.40 MYR 99.7

$41.44 MX$774

-41.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 MYR 339

$74.2 MX$1,386

11.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.0 MYR 356

$89.3 MX$1,668

-2.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 MYR 1,659

$980 MX$18.3K

-58.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 MYR 1,188

$381 MX$7,116

-23.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$713 MYR 2,915

$1,708 MX$31.9K

-58.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 MYR 2,249

$1,075 MX$20.1K

-48.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,993 MYR 8,147

$3,943 MX$73.7K

-49.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,166 MYR 4,766

$6,158 MX$115.1K

-81.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 MYR 2,655

$735 MX$13.7K

-11.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

11.45

-64.54%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kepong: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kepong

$291 32.4%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 31% $90

Groceries & Markets

Kepong

$227 25.3%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 12.3% $28

Eating Out

Kepong

$113 12.6%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 78.7% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Kepong

$111 12.4%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 0.3% $0.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kepong

$85 9.5%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 60.7% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Kepong

$50 5.6%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 33.6% $17

Getting Around

Kepong

$18 2.1%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 174% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $406 in Kepong versus $980 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 13% 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 $24 in Kepong versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $255 – making Kepong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Kepong

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

00:01 12:01 AM

11:01 11:01 AM

13 h behind Kepong

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

85,960

149,923

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

100 MXN = 5.35 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4.09 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.55 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.69 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.8 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kepong Playa del Carmen 17,200 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Kepong
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $896 in Kepong, $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 34% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,344 per month in Kepong and $1,806 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $406 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $238 per month in Kepong and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Kepong, where all-in costs run around $896, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. 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 $896 in Kepong to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.