Cost of Living Comparison Between Lumut, Perak and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lumut, Perak and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,038 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,500 in Lumut, Perak versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,962 in Lumut, Perak versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lumut, Perak costs roughly 22% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.66

$13.02 MX$221

-72.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.20 MYR 49.29

$46.25 MX$784

-73.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 MYR 20.02

$12.59 MX$213

-60.60%

Cappuccino

$2.85 MYR 11.50

$4.00 MX$67.9

-28.75%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.24

$1.42 MX$24.08

-43.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MYR 1.42

$0.81 MX$13.73

-56.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 MYR 15.87

$3.05 MX$51.7

28.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 MYR 24.53

$6.82 MX$116

-11.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 MYR 8.53

$1.71 MX$29.04

23.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 MYR 4.61

$2.22 MX$37.62

-48.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MYR 7.68

$1.72 MX$29.13

10.47%

Eggs

$2.52 MYR 10.18

$2.71 MX$45.99

-7.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 MYR 63.2

$9.37 MX$159

66.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 MYR 19.35

$8.86 MX$150

-45.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 39.72

$12.78 MX$217

-23.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 MYR 13.66

$3.13 MX$53.0

7.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MYR 7.69

$1.55 MX$26.24

22.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 MYR 9.92

$2.15 MX$36.51

14.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.77

$2.35 MX$39.89

-28.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.50

$2.02 MX$34.23

-32.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.80

$1.99 MX$33.67

-27.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.70

$1.24 MX$21.09

-6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$1.19 MX$20.21

-42.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MYR 17.72

$4.65 MX$78.8

-5.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.16 MYR 77.4

$10.47 MX$177

83.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 MYR 14.36

$1.58 MX$26.82

124.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 MYR 19.34

$2.92 MX$49.48

64.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 3.04

$0.56 MX$9.53

33.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.83 MYR 51.8

$29.76 MX$504

-56.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 MYR 5.05

$5.32 MX$90.2

-76.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$3.72 MX$63.0

-87.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 MYR 20.15

$5.78 MX$97.9

-13.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 MYR 3.35

$1.55 MX$26.27

-46.45%

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

$41.2K MYR 166.4K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

84.07%

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

$35.0K MYR 141.5K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

36.94%

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

$65.3 MYR 264

$89.3 MX$1,513

-26.89%

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

$8.88 MYR 35.86

$23.30 MX$395

-61.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.30 MYR 106

$31.72 MX$538

-17.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.74 MYR 177

$68.8 MX$1,165

-36.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.28 MYR 29.41

$29.40 MX$498

-75.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 MYR 22.12

$5.06 MX$85.7

8.30%

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

$283 MYR 1,142

$222 MX$3,765

27.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,854 MYR 19.6K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

13.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 MYR 283

$46.21 MX$783

51.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 MYR 172

$44.43 MX$753

-4.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 MYR 364

$95.5 MX$1,618

-5.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 MYR 395

$92.5 MX$1,568

5.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 MYR 1,762

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-59.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 MYR 1,409

$393 MX$6,663

-11.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 MYR 2,889

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-64.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 MYR 1,985

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-62.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 MYR 8,036

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-50.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,251 MYR 5,055

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-81.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 MYR 1,557

$747 MX$12.7K

-48.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

11.6

-63.62%

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

Last update for Lumut, Perak: August 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Lumut, Perak and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 94% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Lumut, Perak vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $277, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

Lumut, Perak vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lumut, Perak wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lumut, Perak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 94% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lumut, Perak – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,038 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,038 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lumut, Perak but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Lumut, Perak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lumut, Perak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,038 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lumut, Perak hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lumut, Perak and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lumut, Perak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.