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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $585 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $919 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,252 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 123% more expensive than in Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bukit Mertajam 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.36 MYR 13.68

255.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$20.87 MYR 84.9

127.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$4.96 MYR 20.19

136.90%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.79 MYR 11.34

47.67%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.80 MYR 3.26

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.36 MYR 1.45

152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.52 MYR 10.26

27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.51 MYR 18.33

56.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.20 MYR 8.94

-23.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.07 MYR 4.37

100.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.78 MYR 7.24

-0.56%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.45 MYR 9.97

15.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$15.59 MYR 63.4

-40.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.72 MYR 19.20

95.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.52 MYR 38.71

32.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.37 MYR 9.63

24.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.51 MYR 6.14

4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.33 MYR 9.48

-4.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.26 MYR 5.13

87.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.95 MYR 3.88

109.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.86 MYR 3.50

130.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.71 MYR 2.87

74.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.69 MYR 2.81

75.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.40 MYR 17.89

4.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$18.88 MYR 76.8

-44.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.42 MYR 9.86

-30.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.78 MYR 15.39

-26.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.22 MYR 4.94

329.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.47 MYR 1.92

676.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$5.05 MYR 20.54

14.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.82 MYR 3.35

87.80%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$42.8K MYR 174.1K

-46.72%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$34.4K MYR 139.8K

-24.89%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$51.5 MYR 210

75.96%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$8.61 MYR 35.01

192.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$31.67 MYR 129

0.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.75 MYR 19.34

2.32%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$246 MYR 1,000

-8.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$4,996 MYR 20.3K

-16.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$55.1 MYR 224

-13.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$35.19 MYR 143

23.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$74.9 MYR 305

7.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$99.4 MYR 404

-8.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$563 MYR 2,289

37.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.2

172.62%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 37% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $21.00 in Bukit Mertajam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $258 per month, with Bukit Mertajam 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

Playa del Carmen vs Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 123% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $585 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $585 in Bukit Mertajam – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $585 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.