Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bukit Mertajam Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bukit Mertajam

😐 Solo nomad: Playa del Carmen is 21.9% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam without rent, and 97% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Playa del Carmen is 49.4% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam without rent, and 70.3% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Bukit Mertajam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.85 MX$212
$1.91 MYR 7.56
520.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.16 MX$755
$20.11 MYR 79.4
109.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$192
$3.66 MYR 14.46
193.72%
Cappuccino
$3.47 MX$62.2
$2.24 MYR 8.85
54.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$26.01
$0.69 MYR 2.71
110.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MX$16.16
$0.37 MYR 1.45
143.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 MX$54.7
$3.01 MYR 11.88
1.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 MX$79.1
$4.67 MYR 18.44
-5.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Bukit Mertajam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 MX$24.51
$1.61 MYR 6.37
-14.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.87 MX$33.51
$1.08 MYR 4.27
73.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 MX$27.63
$0.57 MYR 2.26
170.18%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$44.81
$1.92 MYR 7.57
30.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.61 MX$154
$22.50 MYR 88.9
-61.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.63 MX$155
$4.80 MYR 18.97
79.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.02 MX$197
$10.70 MYR 42.27
2.99%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 MX$49.22
$4.05 MYR 16.01
-32.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$25.56
$1.77 MYR 6.98
-19.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$33.52
$3.46 MYR 13.67
-45.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$38.80
$2.63 MYR 10.39
-17.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 MX$33.70
$1.69 MYR 6.66
11.24%
Onion (1kg)
$2.25 MX$40.21
$1.03 MYR 4.07
118.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$19.11
$1.07 MYR 4.22
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$19.22
$0.37 MYR 1.45
189.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$74.4
$4.28 MYR 16.91
-3.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.34 MX$185
$19.01 MYR 75.1
-45.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$30.06
$4.37 MYR 17.27
-61.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 MX$44.46
$2.57 MYR 10.14
-3.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Bukit Mertajam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$9.93
$0.67 MYR 2.66
-17.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.53 MX$475
$11.97 MYR 47.27
121.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.22 MX$57.6
$1.20 MYR 4.74
168.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.48 MX$44.42
$1.14 MYR 4.51
117.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 MX$55.7
$4.42 MYR 17.48
-29.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$22.48
$0.46 MYR 1.81
173.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7K MX$548.8K
$43.2K MYR 170.8K
-29.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$430.3K
$32.0K MYR 126.4K
-24.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Bukit Mertajam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.5 MX$1,476
$26.86 MYR 106
207.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.29 MX$399
$9.97 MYR 39.37
123.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.02 MX$537
$28.47 MYR 112
5.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Bukit Mertajam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 MX$921
$36.66 MYR 145
40.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.29 MX$327
$5.84 MYR 23.05
213.18%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$89.2
$4.29 MYR 16.97
16.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Bukit Mertajam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$200 MX$3,580
$116 MYR 459
72.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,304 MX$94.9K
$4,395 MYR 17.4K
20.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Bukit Mertajam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.71 MX$639
$11.96 MYR 47.25
198.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.56 MX$708
$62.6 MYR 247
-36.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.6 MX$1,442
$23.29 MYR 92.0
245.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.3 MX$1,581
$78.4 MYR 310
12.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Bukit Mertajam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$969 MX$17.4K
$390 MYR 1,542
148.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 MX$8,632
$60.0 MYR 237
703.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$28.6K
$651 MYR 2,573
144.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,184 MX$21.2K
$470 MYR 1,858
151.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,050 MX$72.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,522 MX$116.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Bukit Mertajam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$756 MX$13.5K
$984 MYR 3,886
-23.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
3.96
188.38%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: March 3, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: March 2, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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