Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Playa del Carmen

🙂 Solo nomad: Kuala Lumpur is 23.7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 14.7% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Kuala Lumpur is 3.3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 30.2% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kuala Lumpur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 MYR 19.31
$11.99 MX$227
-61.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.83 MYR 122
$42.47 MX$803
-32.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.77 MYR 20.13
$10.47 MX$198
-54.44%
Cappuccino
$2.96 MYR 12.48
$3.6 MX$68.2
-17.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 MYR 3.58
$1.44 MX$27.16
-40.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.5 MYR 2.11
$0.89 MX$16.79
-43.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.23 MYR 17.82
$3.09 MX$58.5
36.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.95 MYR 25.11
$4.58 MX$86.6
29.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kuala Lumpur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.08 MYR 8.78
$1.38 MX$26.04
50.72%
White Bread (500g)
$1 MYR 4.22
$1.85 MX$34.9
-45.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 MYR 6.92
$1.57 MX$29.68
4.46%
Eggs
$2.29 MYR 9.64
$2.55 MX$48.3
-10.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.84 MYR 62.6
$8.61 MX$163
72.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.52 MYR 19.05
$8.54 MX$161
-47.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.51 MYR 40.1
$10.98 MX$208
-13.39%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MYR 12.46
$2.72 MX$51.4
8.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 MYR 6.85
$1.51 MX$28.57
7.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.7 MYR 11.37
$1.88 MX$35.63
43.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.51 MYR 6.38
$2.19 MX$41.42
-31.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 MYR 5.11
$1.87 MX$35.3
-35.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.4 MYR 5.92
$2.19 MX$41.37
-36.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 MYR 5.09
$1.07 MX$20.23
13.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 MYR 2.87
$1.09 MX$20.64
-37.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MYR 17.68
$3.96 MX$74.9
5.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.11 MYR 76.4
$8.86 MX$167
104.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.33 MYR 14.06
$1.72 MX$32.53
93.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 MYR 18.5
$2.61 MX$49.37
68.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Kuala Lumpur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.72 MYR 3.06
$0.52 MX$9.74
38.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.74 MYR 49.49
$26.59 MX$503
-55.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 MYR 5.11
$3.24 MX$61.2
-62.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.13 MYR 4.78
$2.38 MX$44.94
-52.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.59 MYR 19.35
$3.11 MX$58.7
47.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.48 MYR 2.01
$1.31 MX$24.85
-63.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40K MYR 168.8K
$30.3K MX$573K
32.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33K MYR 139.2K
$24K MX$453.6K
37.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kuala Lumpur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$64.8 MYR 273
$84.2 MX$1,592
-23.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.7 MYR 49.34
$22.14 MX$419
-47.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.5 MYR 108
$30.14 MX$570
-15.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kuala Lumpur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.93 MYR 194
$52 MX$983
-11.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.76 MYR 32.73
$18.72 MX$354
-58.55%
Cinema Ticket
$5.23 MYR 22.03
$5.07 MX$95.9
3.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kuala Lumpur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$266 MYR 1,122
$200 MX$3,787
32.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,267 MYR 39.1K
$5,333 MX$100.8K
73.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kuala Lumpur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.5 MYR 259
$35.74 MX$676
72.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.04 MYR 160
$39.8 MX$753
-4.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.3 MYR 364
$79 MX$1,493
9.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 MYR 336
$88.4 MX$1,671
-9.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kuala Lumpur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$578 MYR 2,437
$965 MX$18.3K
-40.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$371 MYR 1,566
$474 MX$8,968
-21.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,061 MYR 4,472
$1,653 MX$31.2K
-35.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$628 MYR 2,649
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-47.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,071 MYR 12.9K
$3,081 MX$58.3K
-0.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,532 MYR 6,459
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-79.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kuala Lumpur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,342 MYR 5,659
$792 MX$15K
69.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.47
11.42
-60.86%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: October 28, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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