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: $935 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Lumut, Perak versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,894 in Lumut, Perak versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lumut, Perak costs roughly 27% 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 13.94

$11.94 MX$209

-70.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.90 MYR 47.02

$42.75 MX$748

-72.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 18.91

$10.59 MX$185

-54.77%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 10.94

$3.62 MX$63.4

-23.48%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.34

$1.47 MX$25.69

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.94 MX$16.51

-61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 MYR 14.49

$3.09 MX$54.1

18.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 MYR 22.88

$4.46 MX$78.0

29.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 MYR 7.81

$1.43 MX$24.94

38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.13

$1.88 MX$32.97

-44.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.59

$1.63 MX$28.50

2.45%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.54

$2.64 MX$46.26

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 MYR 56.7

$8.21 MX$144

74.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 MYR 17.99

$8.29 MX$145

-44.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.73 MYR 38.44

$11.10 MX$194

-12.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.43

$2.65 MX$46.40

9.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.43

$1.50 MX$26.26

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 MYR 10.76

$1.99 MX$34.79

36.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.93

$2.08 MX$36.33

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.84

$1.79 MX$31.29

-31.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$2.18 MX$38.09

-36.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.64

$1.08 MX$18.84

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 MYR 2.62

$1.04 MX$18.15

-36.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 16.52

$3.97 MX$69.5

5.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 MYR 73.9

$10.20 MX$179

83.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 MYR 12.71

$1.73 MX$30.22

86.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 MYR 17.45

$2.50 MX$43.71

76.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.92

$0.52 MX$9.07

42.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 47.21

$26.97 MX$472

-55.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.60

$3.14 MX$55.0

-63.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.50

$2.40 MX$42.04

-52.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 MYR 18.86

$3.09 MX$54.0

54.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$1.27 MX$22.28

-59.84%

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

$39.5K MYR 156.2K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

28.02%

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

$32.1K MYR 126.7K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

37.54%

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

$63.3 MYR 250

$82.0 MX$1,435

-22.88%

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

$11.35 MYR 44.82

$22.45 MX$393

-49.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.66 MYR 101

$29.66 MX$519

-13.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.52 MYR 144

$51.9 MX$908

-29.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 23.57

$18.67 MX$327

-68.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.24 MYR 20.71

$4.97 MX$87.0

5.43%

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

$269 MYR 1,061

$198 MX$3,462

35.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,562 MYR 37.8K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

81.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 MYR 243

$36.34 MX$636

69.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.26 MYR 147

$40.05 MX$701

-6.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 MYR 340

$79.9 MX$1,398

7.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 MYR 321

$88.9 MX$1,555

-8.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,556

$963 MX$16.9K

-59.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,060

$465 MX$8,133

-42.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,510

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-60.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,827

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-61.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,902 MYR 7,515

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-51.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$931 MYR 3,679

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-85.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$394 MYR 1,556

$720 MX$12.6K

-45.32%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Lumut, Perak and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 83% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $251, 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 38% 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 83% 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: $394 in Lumut, Perak versus $963 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $935 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $935 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,287 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 $935 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 38% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.