Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ampang Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ampang Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $844 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,265 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,686 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than Ampang Jaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ampang Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ampang Jaya 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.45 MYR 14.12

247.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.78 MYR 76.8

122.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.82 MYR 19.72

123.03%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.96 MYR 12.09

18.24%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.80 MYR 3.26

81.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.46 MYR 1.86

91.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.52 MYR 14.40

-16.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$5.78 MYR 23.63

-21.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.80 MYR 7.35

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.95 MYR 3.89

93.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.25 MYR 5.12

25.60%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.18 MYR 8.94

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.77 MYR 44.07

-23.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.40 MYR 13.89

147.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.29 MYR 25.72

69.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.61 MYR 14.75

-27.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.50 MYR 6.13

-4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.80 MYR 7.34

8.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.20 MYR 4.90

74.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.13 MYR 4.62

63.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.39 MYR 5.67

56.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.90 MYR 3.68

14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.56 MYR 2.30

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.11 MYR 16.81

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$19.62 MYR 80.3

-48.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.66 MYR 10.87

-36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.87 MYR 15.82

-34.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.70 MYR 2.86

-27.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$11.68 MYR 47.79

122.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.02 MYR 4.17

216.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.98 MYR 4.03

145.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.72 MYR 35.65

-62.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.46 MYR 1.89

186.96%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$48.7K MYR 199.2K

-39.02%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$37.9K MYR 155.2K

-37.62%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$40.70 MYR 166

101.50%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.16 MYR 37.47

150.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$23.11 MYR 94.5

30.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$34.99 MYR 143

48.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$5.82 MYR 23.80

218.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.97 MYR 20.32

0.20%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$209 MYR 853

-5.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,853 MYR 28.0K

-22.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$64.9 MYR 265

-45.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.87 MYR 122

35.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$72.1 MYR 295

9.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$48.14 MYR 197

84.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$383 MYR 1,567

147.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$283 MYR 1,157

67.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,012 MYR 4,138

62.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$458 MYR 1,874

164.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,371 MYR 9,695

71.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,266 MYR 5,177

411.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$866 MYR 3,542

-24.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.49

154.34%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ampang Jaya: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $383 in Ampang Jaya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 32% higher in Ampang Jaya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Ampang Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $226 – making Ampang Jaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $844 in Ampang Jaya – roughly 49% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,266 in Ampang Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ampang Jaya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $844 in Ampang Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 123% less in Ampang Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ampang Jaya, where all-in costs run around $844, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Ampang Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $844 in Ampang Jaya to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ampang Jaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.