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: $810 in Miri versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,253 in Miri versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,697 in Miri versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Miri costs roughly 37% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Miri 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 MYR 14.43

$11.71 MX$199

-69.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.48 MYR 50.5

$46.59 MX$791

-73.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 MYR 18.67

$11.65 MX$198

-60.34%

Cappuccino

$2.34 MYR 9.46

$4.09 MX$69.5

-42.79%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.37

$1.37 MX$23.34

-39.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.22

$0.83 MX$14.16

-63.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MYR 12.32

$3.35 MX$56.9

-8.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 MYR 16.43

$6.91 MX$117

-41.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MYR 5.97

$1.73 MX$29.33

-14.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 MYR 7.57

$2.26 MX$38.39

-17.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.16

$1.77 MX$30.05

-41.81%

Eggs

$3.57 MYR 14.43

$2.73 MX$46.41

30.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.75

$8.92 MX$151

-45.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.05 MYR 60.8

$12.60 MX$214

19.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MYR 7.85

$1.57 MX$26.68

23.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.10

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.46

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.54

$1.20 MX$20.45

-68.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 MYR 17.67

$4.63 MX$78.7

-5.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.78 MYR 80.0

$10.69 MX$182

85.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 MYR 12.40

$1.62 MX$27.50

89.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 MYR 9.86

$2.88 MX$48.93

-15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.57 MX$9.74

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.13 MYR 57.1

$29.83 MX$507

-52.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$5.45 MX$92.5

-77.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MYR 2.59

$3.70 MX$62.9

-82.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 MYR 25.70

$5.98 MX$102

6.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 MYR 2.47

$1.55 MX$26.38

-60.65%

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

$50.0K MYR 202.0K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

123.74%

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

$33.7K MYR 136.2K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

29.78%

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

$51.2 MYR 207

$89.1 MX$1,514

-42.58%

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

$10.14 MYR 41.01

$25.04 MX$425

-59.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.98 MYR 137

$31.50 MX$535

7.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.65 MYR 120

$67.8 MX$1,151

-56.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 MYR 24.60

$28.92 MX$491

-78.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 MYR 18.32

$5.05 MX$85.8

-10.30%

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

$102 MYR 413

$225 MX$3,820

-54.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,617 MYR 26.8K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

56.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.90 MYR 186

$47.44 MX$806

-3.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.91 MYR 92.6

$44.98 MX$764

-49.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 MYR 223

$82.0 MX$1,392

-32.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.13 MYR 174

$92.1 MX$1,564

-53.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 MYR 1,385

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-67.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 MYR 1,183

$405 MX$6,884

-27.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 MYR 2,423

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-69.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 MYR 2,412

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-54.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,222 MYR 4,940

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-69.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$690 MYR 2,792

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-89.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$701 MYR 2,835

$749 MX$12.7K

-6.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

11.45

-64.02%

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

Last update for Miri: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Miri and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 7% 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 Miri vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $277 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 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% 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: $343 in Miri 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 Miri – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $810 per month in Miri versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $810 in Miri versus $1,293 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 60% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.