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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $875 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,285 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,696 in Ampang Jaya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% 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 3% lower, Ampang Jaya 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.56 MYR 14.10

229.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$19.17 MYR 76.0

117.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.83 MYR 19.16

120.29%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.92 MYR 11.59

20.55%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.81 MYR 3.20

86.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.49 MYR 1.94

97.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.59 MYR 14.25

-17.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.75 MYR 22.80

-22.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.78 MYR 7.08

-22.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.00 MYR 3.98

89.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.30 MYR 5.17

26.15%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.28 MYR 9.06

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.58 MYR 41.96

-21.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.55 MYR 14.06

134.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.21 MYR 24.61

72.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.65 MYR 14.49

-28.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.49 MYR 5.92

-2.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.86 MYR 7.37

2.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.26 MYR 5.00

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.15 MYR 4.55

54.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.32 MYR 5.23

65.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.91 MYR 3.62

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.56 MYR 2.21

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.19 MYR 16.62

-2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$20.40 MYR 80.9

-49.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.68 MYR 10.64

-36.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.77 MYR 14.97

-31.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.69 MYR 2.75

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$11.62 MYR 46.08

127.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.02 MYR 4.04

219.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.02 MYR 4.05

144.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$8.85 MYR 35.11

-63.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.49 MYR 1.96

167.35%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$48.8K MYR 193.6K

-37.99%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$38.4K MYR 152.1K

-38.92%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$41.59 MYR 165

99.25%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.95 MYR 35.50

148.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$22.86 MYR 90.7

28.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$35.43 MYR 140

45.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.78 MYR 22.93

216.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.93 MYR 19.53

2.84%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$209 MYR 828

-3.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,969 MYR 27.6K

-25.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$65.2 MYR 258

-43.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$29.95 MYR 119

32.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$74.2 MYR 294

5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$49.27 MYR 195

76.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$390 MYR 1,546

149.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$283 MYR 1,120

65.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$995 MYR 3,945

64.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$455 MYR 1,805

168.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,749 MYR 6,936

125.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,103 MYR 4,373

489.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$858 MYR 3,400

-22.58%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ampang Jaya: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $390 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 29% 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 $229 – 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $875 in Ampang Jaya – roughly 48% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,312 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $875 in Ampang Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 128% 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 $875, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $875 in Ampang Jaya to $1,297 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.