Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Playa del Carmen

🙂 Solo nomad: Kota Bharu is 48.7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 48.7% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Kota Bharu is 39% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 49.2% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kota Bharu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.82 MYR 7.66
$11.99 MX$227
-84.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.31 MYR 89.9
$42.47 MX$803
-49.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.21 MYR 17.76
$10.47 MX$198
-59.79%
Cappuccino
$2.32 MYR 9.79
$3.6 MX$68.2
-35.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 MYR 1.9
$1.44 MX$27.16
-68.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 MYR 1.15
$0.89 MX$16.79
-69.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.27 MYR 18.02
$3.09 MX$58.5
38.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.17 MYR 17.58
$4.58 MX$86.6
-8.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kota Bharu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 MYR 6.62
$1.38 MX$26.04
13.77%
White Bread (500g)
$0.76 MYR 3.19
$1.85 MX$34.9
-58.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.83 MYR 3.51
$1.57 MX$29.68
-47.13%
Eggs
$1.55 MYR 6.55
$2.55 MX$48.3
-39.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.17 MYR 64
$8.61 MX$163
76.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.95 MYR 12.43
$8.54 MX$161
-65.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.19 MYR 26.11
$10.98 MX$208
-43.62%
Apples (1kg)
$1.4 MYR 5.88
$2.72 MX$51.4
-48.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MYR 6.04
$1.51 MX$28.57
-5.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 MYR 5.8
$1.88 MX$35.63
-26.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.9 MYR 3.8
$2.19 MX$41.42
-58.90%
Potato (1kg)
$0.83 MYR 3.5
$1.87 MX$35.3
-55.61%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 MYR 4.89
$2.19 MX$41.37
-47.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.92 MYR 3.86
$1.07 MX$20.23
-14.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.4 MYR 1.71
$1.09 MX$20.64
-63.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.07 MYR 12.97
$3.96 MX$74.9
-22.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.59 MYR 61.5
$8.86 MX$167
64.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.4 MYR 5.9
$1.72 MX$32.53
-18.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43 MYR 14.45
$2.61 MX$49.37
31.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Kota Bharu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.74 MYR 3.12
$0.52 MX$9.74
42.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.63 MYR 49.04
$26.59 MX$503
-56.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.69 MYR 2.91
$3.24 MX$61.2
-78.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.54 MYR 2.26
$2.38 MX$44.94
-77.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.64 MYR 15.35
$3.11 MX$58.7
17.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.5 MYR 2.11
$1.31 MX$24.85
-61.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31K MYR 130.6K
$30.3K MX$573K
2.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K MYR 114.8K
$24K MX$453.6K
13.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kota Bharu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$38.1 MYR 161
$84.2 MX$1,592
-54.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.15 MYR 34.38
$22.14 MX$419
-63.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.59 MYR 112
$30.14 MX$570
-11.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kota Bharu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.56 MYR 154
$52 MX$983
-29.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.77 MYR 24.33
$18.72 MX$354
-69.18%
Cinema Ticket
$4.26 MYR 17.98
$5.07 MX$95.9
-15.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kota Bharu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$116 MYR 489
$200 MX$3,787
-42.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,301 MYR 26.6K
$5,333 MX$100.8K
18.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kota Bharu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 MYR 225
$35.74 MX$676
49.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.9 MYR 79.7
$39.8 MX$753
-52.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.7 MYR 260
$79 MX$1,493
-21.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.8 MYR 219
$88.4 MX$1,671
-41.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kota Bharu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$264 MYR 1,114
$965 MX$18.3K
-72.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$141 MYR 595
$474 MX$8,968
-70.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$845 MYR 3,565
$1,653 MX$31.2K
-48.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$478 MYR 2,015
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-60.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,767 MYR 7,450
$3,081 MX$58.3K
-42.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,061 MYR 4,474
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-85.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kota Bharu
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$325 MYR 1,371
$792 MX$15K
-58.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.16
11.42
-63.57%

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

Last update for Kota Bharu: October 28, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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