Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Butterworth Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Butterworth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $850 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,299 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,747 in Butterworth, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 51% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Butterworth are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Butterworth 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.97 MYR 11.75

302.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$21.48 MYR 84.8

99.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.72 MYR 18.65

124.36%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.83 MYR 11.18

27.92%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.68 MYR 2.68

116.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.33 MYR 1.32

184.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$4.13 MYR 16.31

-25.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.45 MYR 17.56

0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.88 MYR 7.42

-23.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.99 MYR 3.89

89.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.72 MYR 6.80

-5.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.14 MYR 8.44

23.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$14.48 MYR 57.2

-43.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.60 MYR 18.16

80.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.41 MYR 37.18

17.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.90 MYR 11.47

-8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.45 MYR 5.73

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.68 MYR 10.60

-25.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.47 MYR 5.80

41.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.15 MYR 4.53

55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.21 MYR 4.80

80.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.92 MYR 3.62

17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.48 MYR 1.91

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.33 MYR 17.09

-8.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$18.95 MYR 74.9

-46.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.61 MYR 10.30

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.35 MYR 13.23

-25.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.69 MYR 2.74

-24.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$11.96 MYR 47.24

125.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.73 MYR 2.89

330.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.53 MYR 2.10

352.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.80 MYR 18.94

-35.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.47 MYR 1.84

170.21%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$33.3K MYR 131.7K

-7.35%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.7K MYR 109.4K

-15.83%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$39.29 MYR 155

108.73%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.99 MYR 39.46

124.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$25.55 MYR 101

16.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$36.46 MYR 144

42.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$6.06 MYR 23.92

208.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.06 MYR 19.99

-1.78%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$240 MYR 950

-17.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,261 MYR 24.7K

-15.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$54.2 MYR 214

-32.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$29.44 MYR 116

36.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$60.7 MYR 240

31.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$53.3 MYR 211

66.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$392 MYR 1,549

145.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$266 MYR 1,052

74.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$644 MYR 2,542

148.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$465 MYR 1,835

160.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,268 MYR 5,010

210.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,031 MYR 4,073

525.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$991 MYR 3,915

-27.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.16

174.52%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Butterworth: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $392 in Butterworth. 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 38% higher in Butterworth, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Butterworth. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $253 in Butterworth – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Butterworth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $850 in Butterworth – roughly 51% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,275 in Butterworth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Butterworth, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $850 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 126% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Butterworth, where all-in costs run around $850, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Butterworth 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 $850 in Butterworth to $1,287 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 Butterworth. 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.