😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $839 in Cheras, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,272 in Cheras, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,704 in Cheras, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 53% more than Cheras, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Cheras are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Cheras37% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Cheras
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$3.62MYR 14.30
229.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$18.67MYR 73.8
128.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$4.58MYR 18.07
131.22%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$2.88MYR 11.39
25.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.84MYR 3.30
75.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.46MYR 1.81
104.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$4.66MYR 18.41
-33.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$6.48MYR 25.60
-31.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Cheras
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.89MYR 7.48
-24.34%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.94MYR 3.71
100.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.23MYR 4.87
32.52%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.15MYR 8.51
22.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$15.54MYR 61.4
-47.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$3.58MYR 14.16
131.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$7.54MYR 29.79
47.21%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$2.65MYR 10.46
-
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.74MYR 6.88
-13.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$2.56MYR 10.12
-22.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.25MYR 4.94
66.40%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.53MYR 6.06
16.99%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.33MYR 5.26
63.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.88MYR 3.48
22.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.56MYR 2.23
85.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$4.22MYR 16.66
-5.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$14.51MYR 57.3
-29.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$2.72MYR 10.76
-36.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$3.95MYR 15.58
-36.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Cheras
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.46MYR 1.81
13.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$11.83MYR 46.73
127.98%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$1.02MYR 4.01
207.84%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$1.00MYR 3.95
140.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$9.42MYR 37.22
-67.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$0.46MYR 1.84
176.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$49.6KMYR 195.7K
-37.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$31.6KMYR 124.8K
-26.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Cheras
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$40.52MYR 160
102.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$9.18MYR 36.27
144.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$30.41MYR 120
-2.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Cheras
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$41.09MYR 162
26.24%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$5.87MYR 23.19
218.06%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$5.08MYR 20.06
-2.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Cheras
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$187MYR 738
5.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$6,933MYR 27.4K
-23.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Cheras
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$66.0MYR 261
-44.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$34.18MYR 135
17.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$74.2MYR 293
7.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$48.12MYR 190
84.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Cheras
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$377MYR 1,489
155.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$231MYR 913
101.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$651MYR 2,571
145.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$429MYR 1,693
181.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Cheras
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$1,233MYR 4,871
-41.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4.07
180.59%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Cheras: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $377 in Cheras. 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 71% higher in Cheras, 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 $19.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $237 – making Cheras the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Cheras: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Cheras cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,259 in Cheras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cheras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Cheras?
Groceries cost about 6% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Cheras?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $19.00 in Cheras. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Cheras?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cheras, where all-in costs run around $839, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Cheras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Cheras more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cheras – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Cheras?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cheras. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado