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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,146 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,560 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,974 in Cheras, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Cheras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cheras are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Cheras 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$3.73 MYR 15.06

249.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$24.21 MYR 97.8

91.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$4.84 MYR 19.54

160.12%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.98 MYR 12.04

34.23%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.93 MYR 3.76

52.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.52 MYR 2.11

55.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$4.64 MYR 18.76

-34.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$6.20 MYR 25.04

10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.95 MYR 7.89

-12.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.08 MYR 4.38

105.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.51 MYR 6.11

13.91%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.85 MYR 7.46

46.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$18.13 MYR 73.3

-48.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.66 MYR 18.82

90.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$10.93 MYR 44.16

16.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$3.43 MYR 13.87

-8.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.95 MYR 7.88

-20.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$2.65 MYR 10.70

-18.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.65 MYR 6.65

42.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$2.11 MYR 8.51

-4.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.74 MYR 7.02

14.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.31 MYR 5.31

-5.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.50 MYR 2.04

138.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$4.17 MYR 16.85

11.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$14.06 MYR 56.8

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$2.73 MYR 11.01

-42.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$3.00 MYR 12.10

-2.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.71 MYR 2.87

-21.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$12.33 MYR 49.81

141.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$1.26 MYR 5.10

322.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.36 MYR 1.45

933.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$9.17 MYR 37.03

-36.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.72 MYR 2.91

115.28%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$41.4K MYR 167.2K

-45.95%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$34.7K MYR 140.1K

-26.24%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$48.32 MYR 195

84.77%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$11.27 MYR 45.55

106.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$28.01 MYR 113

13.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$51.8 MYR 209

32.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$4.80 MYR 19.39

5.42%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$161 MYR 651

37.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$4,468 MYR 18.0K

-3.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$65.6 MYR 265

-29.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$29.59 MYR 120

50.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$82.7 MYR 334

15.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$87.5 MYR 354

5.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$974 MYR 3,935

9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$476 MYR 1,921

-17.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$726 MYR 2,933

173.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$484 MYR 1,957

169.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$1,170 MYR 4,727

-36.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

4.06

185.71%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Cheras: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $974 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 57% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $271 – 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 16%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,718 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 2% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen and $24.00 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 $1,146, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.