Cost of Living Comparison Between Miri and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Miri and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $699 in Miri versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,090 in Miri versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,482 in Miri versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Miri costs roughly 44% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Miri 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.27 MYR 13.38

$11.99 MX$210

-72.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.59 MYR 47.40

$41.78 MX$733

-72.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.86 MYR 15.80

$10.75 MX$189

-64.09%

Cappuccino

$2.63 MYR 10.77

$3.50 MX$61.3

-24.86%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$1.45 MX$25.41

-50.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$0.88 MX$15.52

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MYR 11.79

$2.95 MX$51.7

-2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 MYR 15.47

$4.51 MX$79.1

-16.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$1.43 MX$25.12

-4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 MYR 5.75

$1.84 MX$32.23

-23.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$1.57 MX$27.51

-49.68%

Eggs

$3.38 MYR 13.81

$2.51 MX$44.06

34.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.91 MYR 44.62

$8.28 MX$145

31.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 MYR 18.68

$8.43 MX$148

-45.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MYR 48.19

$10.68 MX$187

10.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MYR 12.81

$2.61 MX$45.76

19.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.44 MX$25.22

-20.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 MYR 9.71

$1.96 MX$34.41

20.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$2.09 MX$36.74

-33.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 MYR 2.39

$1.85 MX$32.47

-68.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.74

$2.17 MX$38.02

-58.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 MYR 4.00

$1.03 MX$18.09

-4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.38

$1.07 MX$18.84

-68.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MYR 16.82

$4.10 MX$72.0

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 MYR 81.8

$10.17 MX$178

96.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.23

$1.68 MX$29.38

77.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 MYR 9.42

$2.53 MX$44.31

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 MYR 5.79

$0.51 MX$8.93

178.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 MYR 35.42

$26.04 MX$457

-66.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$3.23 MX$56.7

-64.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 MYR 3.12

$2.41 MX$42.19

-68.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 23.73

$3.23 MX$56.6

79.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.32 MX$23.17

-65.15%

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

$57.9K MYR 236.6K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

94.84%

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

$28.1K MYR 114.9K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

18.74%

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

$30.68 MYR 125

$82.0 MX$1,439

-62.59%

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

$9.45 MYR 38.66

$22.95 MX$403

-58.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.82 MYR 134

$30.11 MX$528

9.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.65 MYR 117

$52.0 MX$912

-44.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 MYR 24.75

$18.53 MX$325

-67.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 MYR 16.92

$4.98 MX$87.3

-16.87%

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

$98.0 MYR 401

$197 MX$3,463

-50.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,147 MYR 21.1K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-3.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.09 MYR 144

$35.60 MX$624

-1.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 MYR 78.2

$40.33 MX$707

-52.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.72 MYR 183

$78.8 MX$1,381

-43.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.45 MYR 129

$88.9 MX$1,560

-64.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 MYR 1,298

$947 MX$16.6K

-66.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 MYR 670

$474 MX$8,314

-65.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 MYR 2,010

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-70.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 MYR 1,538

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-68.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,206 MYR 4,932

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-70.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$681 MYR 2,784

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-89.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$686 MYR 2,807

$654 MX$11.5K

4.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.63

11.42

-68.21%

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

Last update for Miri: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Miri and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miri pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Miri vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $249 per month, with Miri cheaper across the board.

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

Miri vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miri is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Miri, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $317 in Miri versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Miri – 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 $699 per month in Miri versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $699 in Miri versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Miri but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Miri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Miri is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Miri 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 Miri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.