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: $931 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,400 in Lumut, Perak versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,870 in Lumut, Perak versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lumut, Perak costs roughly 28% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 30% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.71

$11.73 MX$202

-69.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.98 MYR 48.70

$41.78 MX$719

-71.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.58

$10.41 MX$179

-53.70%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.29

$3.61 MX$62.1

-22.99%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.23

$1.46 MX$25.06

-45.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$0.97 MX$16.70

-65.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 MYR 15.02

$2.92 MX$50.3

26.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 MYR 24.34

$4.62 MX$79.5

29.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 MYR 8.20

$1.43 MX$24.59

41.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.31

$1.90 MX$32.70

-44.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.77

$1.57 MX$26.95

6.37%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.14

$2.64 MX$45.34

-14.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.67 MYR 59.6

$8.44 MX$145

73.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 MYR 19.21

$8.58 MX$148

-44.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 MYR 39.68

$11.00 MX$189

-11.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.11

$2.70 MX$46.51

10.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.33

$1.51 MX$25.92

3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.58

$1.91 MX$32.93

36.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.18

$2.17 MX$37.37

-29.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.02

$1.87 MX$32.25

-34.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.48

$2.23 MX$38.43

-39.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$1.08 MX$18.60

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.71

$1.07 MX$18.47

-37.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 17.14

$4.16 MX$71.6

1.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 MYR 76.4

$10.29 MX$177

82.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.63

$1.68 MX$28.95

99.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 17.17

$2.53 MX$43.59

66.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.55 MX$9.53

30.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 MYR 48.79

$26.29 MX$452

-54.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$3.20 MX$55.0

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$2.46 MX$42.37

-53.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 MYR 19.64

$3.20 MX$55.0

50.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.32 MX$22.72

-62.12%

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

$40.8K MYR 165.7K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

35.16%

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

$32.0K MYR 129.9K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

36.59%

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

$65.6 MYR 267

$81.4 MX$1,400

-19.41%

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

$11.50 MYR 46.73

$22.41 MX$386

-48.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.84 MYR 105

$29.97 MX$516

-13.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.48 MYR 148

$51.6 MX$887

-29.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 MYR 24.12

$18.39 MX$316

-67.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.48

$5.16 MX$88.9

-2.33%

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

$267 MYR 1,087

$202 MX$3,471

32.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,247 MYR 37.6K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

74.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 MYR 252

$35.61 MX$613

73.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.59 MYR 153

$40.37 MX$695

-6.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 MYR 347

$78.6 MX$1,353

8.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 MYR 329

$86.9 MX$1,495

-6.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,546

$950 MX$16.3K

-59.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,092

$478 MX$8,227

-43.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 MYR 2,572

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-60.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,921

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-61.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,797 MYR 7,304

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-55.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$912 MYR 3,706

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-85.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 MYR 1,555

$673 MX$11.6K

-43.17%

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 Lumut, Perak: June 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Lumut, Perak and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 76% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $254, 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 39% 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, Playa del Carmen earns 76% less. 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: $380 in Lumut, Perak versus $950 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $931 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $931 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,294 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 $931 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 39% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.