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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $829 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,293 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,757 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 Carmen 5% lower, Cheras 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.48 MYR 14.13

241.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$18.77 MYR 76.1

128.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.59 MYR 18.63

132.03%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.03 MYR 12.27

13.86%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.79 MYR 3.19

89.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.45 MYR 1.84

111.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$4.78 MYR 19.38

-36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$6.64 MYR 26.94

-30.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.79 MYR 7.28

-22.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.93 MYR 3.77

98.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.26 MYR 5.10

27.78%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.06 MYR 8.37

25.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$15.44 MYR 62.6

-46.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.58 MYR 14.50

133.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.46 MYR 30.26

42.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.76 MYR 11.18

-4.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.76 MYR 7.14

-15.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.45 MYR 9.92

-21.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.26 MYR 5.09

65.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.52 MYR 6.16

22.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.34 MYR 5.43

68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.93 MYR 3.79

13.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.56 MYR 2.28

94.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.26 MYR 17.26

-2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$14.50 MYR 58.8

-28.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.83 MYR 11.48

-39.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.78 MYR 15.33

-30.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.48 MYR 1.96

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$11.95 MYR 48.44

125.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.98 MYR 3.95

219.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.02 MYR 4.14

146.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$9.49 MYR 38.47

-66.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.49 MYR 1.99

159.18%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$49.4K MYR 200.2K

-38.47%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$31.7K MYR 128.6K

-25.72%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$41.77 MYR 169

98.71%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$9.30 MYR 37.72

144.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$30.42 MYR 123

-3.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$40.98 MYR 166

24.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$5.73 MYR 23.23

219.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.09 MYR 20.62

-3.14%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$190 MYR 769

4.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,818 MYR 27.6K

-22.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$64.7 MYR 262

-42.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$34.30 MYR 139

16.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$73.9 MYR 300

8.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$48.61 MYR 197

84.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$372 MYR 1,507

157.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$237 MYR 961

101.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$656 MYR 2,661

150.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$420 MYR 1,703

191.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,175 MYR 4,765

-43.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.07

180.59%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cheras: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $372 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 76% 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: $250 vs $236 – making Cheras 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 Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,244 in Cheras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

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.

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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cheras, where all-in costs run around $829, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Cheras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 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.