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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,009 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,502 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,995 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% 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 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.69 MYR 14.90

217.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$24.88 MYR 100

87.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$4.81 MYR 19.41

142.20%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.14 MYR 12.66

30.25%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.94 MYR 3.78

45.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.52 MYR 2.09

59.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$4.37 MYR 17.62

-23.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$6.50 MYR 26.20

6.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.78 MYR 7.19

-2.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.10 MYR 4.42

105.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.52 MYR 6.14

16.45%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$1.79 MYR 7.21

52.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$10.00 MYR 40.33

-8.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$3.55 MYR 14.34

151.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$9.97 MYR 40.20

26.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.35 MYR 13.50

-9.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.75 MYR 7.06

-10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$3.24 MYR 13.08

-34.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$1.69 MYR 6.83

33.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.49 MYR 6.00

34.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.75 MYR 7.06

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.34 MYR 5.42

-11.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.57 MYR 2.31

110.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$4.42 MYR 17.85

4.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$19.30 MYR 77.9

-44.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$3.00 MYR 12.09

-46.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$4.49 MYR 18.13

-35.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.98 MYR 3.95

-41.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$19.70 MYR 79.5

51.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.23 MYR 4.94

343.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.38 MYR 1.55

873.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$6.35 MYR 25.63

-5.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.74 MYR 2.98

109.46%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$42.0K MYR 169.3K

-46.79%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$34.6K MYR 139.4K

-24.93%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$48.98 MYR 198

81.97%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$11.48 MYR 46.31

118.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$29.01 MYR 117

8.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$36.59 MYR 148

85.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$7.46 MYR 30.09

287.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$4.86 MYR 19.60

3.91%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$200 MYR 808

12.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$4,483 MYR 18.1K

-5.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$66.1 MYR 267

-28.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$30.50 MYR 123

47.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$81.7 MYR 329

0.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$51.6 MYR 208

78.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$451 MYR 1,820

137.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$371 MYR 1,495

9.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,505 MYR 6,071

28.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$603 MYR 2,432

115.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$862 MYR 3,476

-13.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.51

153.88%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ampang Jaya: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $451 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 15% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Ampang Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $251 – 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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $1,009 in Ampang Jaya – roughly 28% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,514 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,009 in Ampang Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% 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 $1,009, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $1,009 in Ampang Jaya to $1,293 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.